Blossoming Burnt Petals
by Ayesha Raees
Summary: Sasuhina "I can't tell you... but I assure you that it works," I muttered and exited before he could answer.
1. Despise Despite Understanding

**Blossoming Burnt Petals  
By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter one  
Despise Despite Understanding**

**

* * *

**

_**I seek water  
that doesn't drip down my cheek**_

_**Water**_

_**That tastes sweet**_

_**Water**_

_**That heals my wounded meat.**_

_

* * *

_

We seemed to be worlds apart yet the only thing similar was that we both were quiet and alone.

He sat beside the window, looking lost where I sat in the corners of the classroom, hiding within the shadows.

I was literally alone. I had no friends and nobody noticed me.

But he was a real mystery to me.

He was surrounded by people all the time but I had never seen him smile or talk. He was just quiet.

Maybe he was mute.

For some reason… I despised him. Maybe that was the reason why I looked over to him at times and I felt my face, surprisingly, turning into harsh a frown.

The reason I hated him, maybe, was because of his ungratefulness to God. I had nobody but Him. Yet he had so many people around him and yet he still brushed them away like dirt.

It made me feel angry.

I would have given away everything to have someone come over to me in lunch and eat with me. Even if she or he wouldn't be of the best nature.

There was reason why I was always left alone.

Yet he did not.

He was perfect in every sense. He was rich, he had looks, he had grades, he was excellent in sports and everybody died to be with him.

But I, on the other hand, was like a black ink smeared on a white shining surface. I had no looks and this I knew quite well. If I said I looked good… that would actually be a part of self pity… so I KNEW that I didn't have any looks. I had WHITE eyes and I was the clumsiest person in the history of clumsiest persons.

I had no friends because I was shy and unconfident to make them.

And I don't think so they even knew about my status and wealth.

Yet… that was the reason I despised Uchiha Sasuke. I had never talked to him or even LOOKED at him for another reason except to show my hatred towards him.

And I knew, as my teacher lectured about Velocity graphs, from the bottom of my heart, that he absolutely had no idea that I existed in the very same classroom as him and hated him more than a thousand suns combined.

* * *

**:)**

**This is just the beginning. It's been a while since I posted something and as I am a master in posting new stories... so... hahaha... yeah. :p**

**The chapters for this are going to be more frequent as they are small and concentrated. Proof is that i have already written the second chapter and i will post it sometime later. :D.**

**It's pure sasuhina. Nothing more nothing less. Hope you like. Review load. Make me HAPPY! ^^**


	2. Loud Silence

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter two  
Loud Silence**

_**I know what hurts**_

_**The fire **_

_**It burns**_

_**And burns**_

_**But no yells**_

_**And still**_

_**I cannot run.**_

I walked home that same day and rain came to greet me, consuming me in its wetness and gloom. It had actually surprised me to feel it's wetness for I felt like it had forgotten me too.

Though… I had nobody but God.

And like everyday, after school, I stopped by the lonely church.

I never really made a confession before or let out my worries. The church was barely crowded. New engaged couples preferred more glorious churches and celebrations.

As I walked through the large doors, feeling even more pathetic than a stray as I was wet now, I realized that he was sitting at the front row, staring blankly at the statue.

My hatred for him was replaced by sudden curiosity as I slowly walked down towards the statue… I took no shame and kept staring at him in curiosity.

He, from any angle, didn't look at all pure and sinless. For one, he was badly worn out and tired of people. And it made sense that he acted like that for he must had a bad experience.

Something about his aura indicated that he was in church for nothing but to take shelter from the rain.

I tore my eyes from him when I realized that he had noticed my presence too. Gulping lightly and wrapping my hands around each other, I went into a silent prayer.

Usually I would be praying loud enough for my voice to echo through the whole church but right now… in the presence of another… I had no choice but keep my thoughts invisible.

I prayed for betterment; for a cure to finish my invisibility, for a miracle to happen, for a hand to guide me to my destiny, to achieve my dreams.

As I prayed that, I felt a peaceful smile come over my face. When I was with God… I felt He actually did listen to me.

But was just testing my patience.

But then… my prayer suddenly turned a little bitter, like everyday.

_God… please. I wish to be acknowledged by my family, to become a wonderful Hyuuga. I want my father to be proud of me; I want my cousin to talk to me. God… I need a hand. Help me,"_

"Amen," I whispered before opening my eyes and staring at the statue for sometime. I sighed loudly and turned around to see my path blocked by a rather dark cloud.

I shook. I had forgotten all about him.

Trembling suddenly and gulping loudly, I glanced up at him fearfully. He was unfairly tall and scary.

He stared at me with a blank yet weary expression, rain water dripping down from his bangs.

"Ano…" I muttered quietly. So much for the hatred that I felt for him.

And then he spoke. Uchiha Sasuke spoke and that too, to me.

"What did you ask for?" he asked in an expressionless voice. Though I heard the velvet sound of his voice ring through the hall, ringing like a crystal bell. So smooth.

Though, I gaped at him for sometime as I had assumed that he was mute. It had taken me by shock to see how _amazing _his voice was.

"Ano… I…" I gulped a little, slightly red in the face, "can't tell you that,"

He frowned a little at the answer and moved away from my way. He stuffed his hands in his pocket and walked forward to stare blankly at the statue. He was still frowning.

I pulled the hood of my jacket up and started to walk down the aisle towards the exit. The rain still pattered furiously outside.

My hand was on the door when my body worked without my command.

I hesitated before turning around and glancing at him. He looked faraway; his head still staring at the statue like it was nothing but filth.

"Ne… Uchiha-san?"

I felt him flinch a little and tore his eyes away from the statue to look at me.

My lips turned into a small polite smile.

"I cannot tell you… but… I-I assure you that it works,"

And with that, I exited before I even dared to wait for his answer.

As I reached home with a cold and a high fever and heard my father's yells at me… I tried my best not to cry.

For once… I had lied and that too, in a church.

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**I have already written till five chapters! :). Will update daily! ^^**

**Please review! Thanks! **


	3. Words are just words

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter three  
Words are just words**

_**Don't tear me apart from fragrances**_

_**Of memories and melodies**_

_**Of tunes and feathers**_

_**Of wings and angels**_

The next day at school, I saw that his seat was empty. As I sat down in my own shadows, my eyes fixed towards the empty seat next to the window, I felt slightly tensed and confused.

Though I tried to invert my emotions into concentration as the teacher started the lecture again, ending it with a long assignment that was due on Monday, after the weekend.

I was going home after school when I stopped myself in front of the Church. I hesitated, something I never did, before entering, keeping my head bow down.

Though when I looked up, I saw him… standing where I had left him.

Though there was a change.

He was praying just like I had been.

Blinking in amazement, I walked slowly up to him. He turned away to look at me with a silent expression.

Ignoring him, I wrapped my fingers around each other and started to pray again.

The same words… I had memorized them by now.

"Amen," I whispered.

I turned around and he was already gone.

* * *

When I reached home, I realized that my father and my younger sister were not at home and had gone for some sort of meeting. Though I was the eldest, my father never bothered to take me anywhere.

As I went into the kitchen to make myself a sandwich, I realized that the only person in the whole household was my cousin, Neji.

He hated me.

I heard the loud music coming from his room… it was obvious that he had his friends over and was practicing with his band.

I spread butter on my bread before chopping down the vegetables.

I, suddenly heard the music cut off and the door slammed open and I heard someone run down the stairs.

I stiffened as he entered the kitchen.

Though he stopped in his tracks when he saw me fidgeting in the middle of the kitchen.

"Go-good Ev-evening Neji-ni-san," I muttered.

He ignored me before opening the fridge and pulling out a pack of cans. He walked out without another word.

I sighed and glanced at the sandwich I was making.

There was something red smeared on the vegetables. Blinking in shock, I glanced at my hand and saw the blood trickling down my finger, staining the clean counters.

I had just cut myself with the knife I was holding. And that too… without knowing.

I dumped my half made sandwich into the trash and cleaned the mess before making my way towards my room.

I had just realized how insignificant my physical pain was compared to my emotional pain.

* * *

**Too short. Ummm.**

**Oh well.**

**I am updating daily like i promised! ^^**

**Thanks for the reviews! **

**Sorry if there are any errors in here.**

**Should I change the summary?**


	4. Encounters of presence

**Blossoming Burnt Petals  
By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter four  
Encounters of presence**

_You don't know who you are_

_And what you want_

_And still you stand there_

_Asking me _

_With silent words_

When I entered my class the next day, I saw him already there. For the first time, I noticed that he was quite composed. He did not look lost neither was he looking out of the window like always. The faraway weary look in his eyes was quite diminished and the aura of loneliness that always surrounded him was almost gone.

He was actually looking around.

And as I entered and walked through the rows to get to my shadows, I felt his eyes on me.

I seated my self and quite reluctantly looked over to him.

Our eyes met.

My breath caught in my throat. I felt that we both were alone in the whole world despite the fact that the class room was slowly started to get crowdy.

Feeling suddenly uneasy, I looked away from him and at my desk.

Well… at least he knew now that I existed.

I did not dare to look over to him in any of the lectures and worked efficiently. I did well on the surprise test that the teacher gave us and all of my math problems were correct.

Though at lunch, I reluctantly glanced over to him.

For the first time, his face was not turned away from the company he was sitting with. He was helping himself to a simple meal and it was a surprise as he never ate before. And the most surprising of all… he was listening intently at the conversation that the others were having.

Though, I still noticed that he was quiet. He didn't say a word.

I looked away from him as soon as I realized that I no longer felt hatred for him of ignoring people around him. There was no other reason to look at him.

As I bit into the dumplings, I smiled.

God really did work.

I just needed to be patient.

* * *

I walked home again like everyday but I was lingering. My pace was as slow as a turtle on ice. I also felt sick.

As I entered the Church, I didn't glance at him sitting in the first row and walked straight in the aisle and recited the words I had memorized.

After the usual _Amen, _I was about to go home when I saw him in front of me again.

Though he didn't really resembled a dark cloud this time… he looked more like a crack of light through the dark clouds.

He wasn't standing too close to me either and I noticed that I wasn't trembling as bad as I had before.

"I am Uchiha Sasuke," he introduced himself as though he was new to me, "Who are you?"

His voice was amazing. So soft yet so strong… full of a velvet touch and full of unanswered curiosity.

"Hyuuga Hinata," I muttered, trying not to stutter and surprisingly succeeding.

He looked slightly shocked at my name. Who wouldn't when he or she heard that I, the pathetic loser, was a Hyuuga.

He controlled his shock rather quickly before speaking in his gorgeous voice again.

"I want to thank you for your advice that you gave me a few days ago. It made me feel… better," he said slowly, choosing his words thoughtfully.

I looked at him in amazement. Wow. I changed him.

I gave my practiced polite smile.

"My pleasure Uchiha-san," I said and bowed before walking down the aisle, towards my home.

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**WOW. Nobody, in the end, tell me that the summary was crappy or not. Oh well.  
Btw. Thanks for the reviews guys. Love you for that! ^^**

**Hope you like this one too.**

**I think i am the only one who thinks that chappies are too small for comfort. :p **


	5. Arrival

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter five  
Arrival**

_I was loyal longer_

_I was here longer_

_And thus, I wasn't awarded first._

_What is that I am doing wrong?_

"Class, today we have a new student. He is all over from Hawaii so please make him comfortable," the teacher said.

"_Hawaii," _I thought bitterly_, "Such an amazing tropical place," _

As I stared at the advancing student with the perfect tan, blond spikes and the bluest eyes I had ever seen, I felt like Jesus had just walked into the classroom.

He was beautiful.

He introduced himself… his voice sunny and his expression cheerful.

"Uzumaki Naruto at your service," his Japanese accent was thick, "forgive me for my Japanese… it's not that good," and he laughed like there was no tomorrow.

I stared at him; my face was getting warmer and warmer and warmer.

_Uzumaki Naruto_

_Naruto-kun_

He was an amazing beam of sunlight.

* * *

That day I had another thing added to my pray.

"_Oh God… please let Naruto-kun acknowledge me,"_

I was getting used to praying silently now because I wasn't alone in the Church anymore. Sasuke was always there.

And he had started to look more at peace.

But he still never spoke.

* * *

"Ne-neji-ni-san?" I stuttered as I walked over to him that same evening.

He didn't even bother to glance at me from the TV screen.

I felt a pang of heart in my heart.

"Nii-san?"

Silence.

"Nii-?"

"What?" he snapped.

He spoke to me. His eyes looking at me with such malice that it shook me. But he still spoke to me.

"D-do you wan-want to eat an-anything? I c-can ma-make you so-"

"No. Go away. You are being a bother,"

And with that, he turned away his head from me and increased the volume.

I gulped the knot painfully, bowed my head and walked towards my room.

* * *

**Don't know where this story is going. :p I think i need to think about that more than i need to think of the bestest way to commit suicide. (you guessed it, my result is in :( )**

**Oh well. Thanks for the AMAZING REVIEWS! I LOVE YOUR GUYS! :D. THANKUUUU!!!! XD XD**

**Oh btw. thanks for telling that the chapters aren't really THAT short. I was kinda getting worked up because of that. :p **


	6. Golden glitter

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter six**

**Golden glitter**

_**He looks  
But he don't see me  
He smiles  
but not at me  
He laughs**_

_**but not for me**_

He really was Jesus. So bright. So beautiful and so cheerful. He was always laughing or cracking a joke. He had already gathered himself a couple of friends, his popularity ranging high… his grades were average but he was never down.

I had never seen his lips without a smile.

And surprising of all, he sat with Sasuke at lunch and during classes, conversing with him one-sidedly. Quite a few times, I had caught Sasuke looking irritated by his cheerfulness chatter.

Sasuke had been calm lately but he hadn't really changed much physically to the eye for others to notice too. Sure, he looked around now and ate with them. But he never spoke neither did he showed any kind of emotions.

At least he wasn't a raining black cloud anymore.

But Jesus was brighter than him. He was even brighter than a thousand suns combined. Once, when I had passed him in the corridor, it was difficult for me to keep walking because of the amazingly bright positive vibes coming from him.

Though at that time, Sasuke was with him and Jesus was still talking non-stop… I couldn't help but think if he had noticed me or not.

Though as time passed, I saw a bond form between the two; they both were always together except for the times when I saw Sasuke alone in church. I saw how comfortable they both were at times.

But I had never seen Sasuke speak. In my presence, in class, in lunch, in hallways… I never noticed him say a word to him. But Jesus spoke and he spoke for both.

It was strange, the whole thing. How opposite did attract to each other. But it was also strange when considering that I was a whole tad different from everyone and I didn't attract to anyone.

But when the whole thing came to me… I was quite helpless now. I knew that he wasn't really a Jesus sent for me. He was the Jesus sent for Sasuke.

And though I couldn't help but feel pain, I reassured myself that Sasuke must have suffered more than me to deserve him.

* * *

It has been a month since I had heard Sasuke's voice in my ears. It has also been twenty-nine days since I had added Naruto's name in my prayer and I had spoken to Neji.

I was a coward. I couldn't even interact with anyone. And I blamed others for not interacting with me. How can people interact with something that is invisible to the eye?

No wonder the church was always empty. Hardly anyone believed in God now.

Today was one of the few days when I did not felt like going home. A storm was picking up… thunder struck now and then as I walked slowly towards the church. My whole schedule looked useless to me.

It started to rain as I pushed the Church's door open and entered. I could hear the loud thrashing from behind me and I knew I was stuck in God's place for shelter for sometime.

I guess my wish of not going to home was fulfilled.

I saw him sitting at the first row again and my hope for his absence at once shattered.

Like always, he turned his head towards me, fixing me with an intense stare. I walked down the aisle as slowly as I could and lingered on my prayers.

After I was done, I knew I had nothing to do. It was this or walk home and get killed by the racking storm outside.

So I picked up a bible and sat myself down a few seats away from him and without looking up to meet his intense stare, started reading quietly.

* * *

**Claps hands together in glee.**

**Yeah. Another chappie.**

**Sorry as it is late compared to the earlier updates. My school has started and my hols ended so my updates are going to be a LITTLE late. Not daily now... maybe once in a two or three days. Don't mind! :). School is a pain. And i think everyone knows that! :p.**

**Thanks for the AWESOME reviews guys!**

**Btw. I am not a Christian. So don't bash me if I write anything wrong. I do believe in God of course, but I am no Christian. Though i have a very strong believe on the aspects of right and wrong. So don't bash me in that area. :p **


	7. Talk

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter seven  
Talk **

_**I think that it's strange**_

_**That we meet everyday**_

_**But don't interact**_

_**Seasons pass**_

_**And you are still as quiet as before**_

I was cold. I had put the bible at the side for sometime now. Now, I was just huddling to myself and trying to pass the time.

Two hours had gone since I had entered the church and he hadn't moved an inch. Now and then, I knew he glanced at me but without his Jesus with him, I knew I had no other reason to look at him.

I didn't hate him anymore after all.

There was silence except for the ever increasing thrashing from the outside.

It was almost six in the evening when Sasuke got up from his place. I thought he was going to head home despite the rain but he boldly walked over to me and sat down next to me.

My heart started to beat in full speed with nervousness. I peeked at him and he looked back at me quietly, with a hint of curiosity in his onyx eyes.

Though I was a little glad that he had dared to sit down with me; a little interaction wouldn't mean anything though. I was a little relieved when I felt the warmth radiating from him. At least I won't freeze to death now.

And then it was after a good fifteen minutes when he spoke to me.

"Since how long had you been coming here?"

His voice was heart melting. I felt my face go red as I looked at him in surprise. Was he trying to… talk?

"Ano…I…" I gulped a little," w-well… since I started school I-I guess,"

"High school?"

I closed my eyes, trying to remember. Since when I had started to come here anyway?

My mother used to come here when I was in kindergarten. I was always with her. Glued to her kimono like I was a part of her body. And then I started to come on my own after…

I felt a knot in my throat and I, again, gulped it down.

"No… since, kindergarten,"

"Oh,"

I looked up at him and I was glad to see that his face wasn't emotionless like before. Like always.

Then there was silence. This was almost amusing.

"It's ironic isn't it?" I heard my voice come from my lips as though it had a mind of its own.

He looked surprised too at my sudden non-stuttering calm voice. I looked at the statue.

"We both are horrible when it comes to socializing aren't we?"

That triggered a frown on his face.

"What makes you think I am not socializing?"

I smiled up to him shyly.

"What makes you think that you are?"

And then, something surprising happened.

He laughed. I stared up at him in shock. His voice, when placed in something as joyful as a laugh, seemed even more mesmerizing. Like a tinkle of bells… like the sparkle of glitter… like the humming of birds.

So beautiful.

I stared at him in awe.

When he settled down with the last chuckle, he smirked at me quite amused.

"My… I never knew a shy girl like you had such an amazing sense of humour,"

I felt my face go red in embarrassment. I bit my lip and looked away at once.

He chuckled again.

Was that a compliment or an insult? And what was so funny in what I had said. I searched for a hint of a joke in our so called conversation but didn't find any.

"What's so funny in what I said?" I asked impatiently.

He shrugged casually.

"It just was,"

"You don't laugh at Naruto-kun's jokes,"

Oh damn it.

He looked shocked when I said his name. He gave me a sharp look, his lips pursed. I looked away from him at once, trying to think of something else other than the bright sunshine that had suddenly occupied my mind. Even though Naruto, or more likely, Jesus was probably far away from me, I could still faintly hear his voice in my head. My face burned slightly.

His face became weary for some reason. My face turned into a tomato.

He looked away almost too abruptly and fixed his sudden blank eyes at the statue. He was putting a façade on his real self again.

"What's wrong?" I asked after a pause.

No answer. Silence.

"Ne… Uchiha-san… are you upset at something I said?" I whispered, trying not to let the emotions break my voice.

Still no answer. He was getting blanker and blanker second by second.

"_NO!" _I wanted to yell at him, _"DON'T PUT A FAÇADE AGAIN! STOP IT!"_

My voice was stuck, my blush was gone, and my eyes were glistening with unshed tears. He wasn't responding. He face was turning dead like it was a while ago, his eyes were getting hollow, the aura of gloominess started to appear again…

The thunder crashed outside and rain pattered on the sidewalks loudly. Little did anyone know it was also raining inside God's place. The black cloud had returned.

I burst into tears, covering my face into my hands.

What did I do? What did I say? What is wrong with me and my stupid mouth? Maybe he did not like Jesus at all… maybe… it was all for a show? Why? Why are my eyes betraying me?

"_Oka-san,"_

"Oye!" I felt his strong hands on my shoulder; he shook me slightly, "What's wrong? Why are you crying? Are you sick?"

I peeked at him through my hands, blinking rapidly to clear my sight from the many tears sprouting from my eyes, and was relieved to see his face back to normal. Good normal.

I wiped my tears slowly but didn't dare to face him. Instead I buried my face in my lap.

"I-I-I am s-s-sor-rry U-U-chi-h-ha-s-san," I stuttered out weakly.

It took him a minute to understand what I had said through from my stuttering.

"What are you apologizing for?"

For being stupid, for being a horrible person to shatter the hope that you got from God and his Jesus, for reminding you of what you had suffered in the past, for closing the light filled gap in those black clouds…

I wanted to say but my words betrayed me. I looked up at him, trying to say what I had just thought, but my voice came in an apologetic stutter.

"F-for k-k-illing you ju-ust now,"

My heart clenched at the very idea.

Shock and confusion showed in his onyx black eyes as he stared at my face, his mouth a little agape, lost for words.

There was a long silence as I rubbed my face clean from my sleeve, resulting in a stinging feeling in my eyes.

After some time, I glanced at him from the corner of my eyes and saw him, expressionlessly, staring at the statue.

I was a little relieved when I saw something stir in his eyes. I concentrated my eyes on my lap, as the storm roared outside. It didn't have to take long to see the motion of thoughts stirring in the depths of his eyes. Relief flooded through my body at his recovery.

As the time passed by and the silence continued, I lost all hope for a reply.

* * *

**You guys must be thinking: "Isn't Sasuke being too... OCCed? I mean... HE JUST STARTED A CONVERSATION WITH HINATA!!!???" But let me assure you people, you will find out the truth in the coming chapters so don't get yourself worked up about it!! XD**

**School's being too rough and I made two trips to the market to get BRISINGR for my Brother's birthday. So I had hardly any time to do my homework. Have been doing it in the morning to school in my bus... strangely it worked out pretty well. O.o**

**Hope you enjoy and review! ^^ And thanks for reviewing before! :)**


	8. Subconscious truth

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter eight**

**Subconscious truth**

Truth be told  
I have never lied  
you might not believe  
as the society is changing so  
but I haven't lied  
much.

* * *

_She was smiling. Despite all the tubes stuck in her body and despite the strain that was obvious on her face, she was smiling. Her lips widened and her bony cheekbones lifted, she was smiling widely… at me._

_As I moved around, laughing, showing my new kimono to her, she kept smiling, not saying a word in or out. I chatted happily about the future that included her and me only and yet… she still kept smiling._

_Maybe she was smiling because of my naivety at how obliviously stupid I was, not taking in the facts that she was going to die and yet acting like nothing was wrong._

_How naïve. How stupid. How shallow._

_And she died smiling too; the only difference in her demeanour were that her eyes were closed and she dressed in a beautiful kimono that made her ten times even more beautiful even though all her flesh was gone._

_Gone like she was now. Gone._

_I had stood there in front of the coffin staring at her. I had not cried but I was chatting away about the latest thing happening in my own oblivious world… I didn't know she was dead._

_When she had disappeared, I looked and looked all over the Hyuuga Compound, too see where she was, where she was hidden. I couldn't find her. Anywhere. _

_It was then when my uncle bothered enough to take me by aside and explain where she was… dead. In heaven. Gone away. Forever._

_And then I had cried. After three insignificant months, I had cried so hard that I felt like that my heart was being stabbed again and again by a blunt knife. I was so lonely. I was so lost._

_I hated myself for being so naïve. I hated myself for not realizing. I hate myself for laughing at her when she was in pain. I hate being the cause._

_

* * *

_

I opened my eyes and blinked several times, trying to throw out the clear heart-breaking images that I had dreamt. I frowned slightly as I felt my pillow move a little and at that time I realized that I wasn't in my bed.

Memories, as fast as a rushing river, came to me and I bolted straight up from where I was lying and jumped out of my seat, blushing deeply in embarrassment.

"I-I-I am sorry. I f-fell asleep," I muttered in pure embarrassment, feeling like an idiot. I wanted to cry. I didn't remember falling asleep and how did my head end up in his lap?

He looked at me in surprise as though he wasn't expecting an apology and looked away; closing his slightly opened mouth, and nodded a little.

"I didn't mind," he replied.

I was still red in the face when I shifted my eyes, uncomfortably, towards the grandfather clock, placed against the wall.

I gasped, my blush disappearing suddenly, as my eyes widened at the time. My face turned paper white.

It was midnight.

I almost started to hyperventilate.

My father was going to kill me. I was dead. I am gone.

"_God, help me!" _I thought, gulping loudly.

"The storm stopped a little while ago," Sasuke said after he saw my expression.

I snapped out of my panic to look at him. He was staring at me again with a closed expression. He got up and stood in front of me.

"Let me walk you home. It's late," He announced his decision.

I was baffled for words. He understood my expression. He turned away his head again, breaking his eye connection with me. I noticed he did that a lot.

"Let's go," he muttered, turned and walked down the aisle.

I stared at his back for a moment and gulped loudly before jogging after him.

**

* * *

**

**Sorry for the late update. :(. I hope you guys didn't mind.  
The next chapter is written. But have to be edited. So its going to be up on, most likely, on Sunday. :D. Yeah. :p**

**I also noticed that I had muslims readers reading this fanfic. I am happy to see that. I am a muslim myself. :)**


	9. Tell my why?

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter nine  
Tell my why?**

_I don't know you  
I don't like you  
But I don't hate you  
I am just an invisible soul  
tell my why  
you act like you know.  
Tell me why._

Hyuuga eyes what made us people different from the humans living around us. There was a time, my father used to proudly tell me in place of bed time stories, when humans treated them as Gods. But that time passed into modern times and still the name Hyuuga straightened up everybody's back in attention.

What was the difference between the Hyuugas and the humans? The only difference I could find was their eyes. We, Hyuugas, had white eyes.

Wasn't that, in a sense, a fault? We were different from the human race, doesn't that made it a fault? Yet the Hyuugas acted like they were different and far off better than any body else.

If different is better theory was taken into mind, then I should be better than the whole wide world.

"_How ironic," _I thought as I walked beside the guy who I had never thought to even talk to a few months ago.

"Where is your house?" he asked, breaking the ever growing silence between us.

"T-The co-colony in the n-next street,"

"Ah,"

Of course he would go _Ah. _Only rich people can live in colonies with proper mansions and luxurious gardens that would make _normal _people die of underestimation. Make normal people feel down to the core of the Earth. Feel like they truly were the ones who were faulted than the Hyuugas.

"I live there too,"

That made me pause my thoughts and concentrate on not stopping in shock. As I considered the fact more progressively, I realized I wasn't that much surprised than I should have. For some reason, Uchiha Sasuke looked rich and mighty.

"I-I didn't know," I said for the sake of our so lame conversation.

He hummed in response and my heart fluttered a little at hearing his gorgeous voice in an uplifting tone.

We walked in silence which didn't last long.

"Tell me something Hinata," he said curiously, "what did you really mean when you apologized for killing me?"

That made me stop. In the middle of the street, not faraway from the gates of the colony I lived in… nowhere to escape.

I hesitated for a second and decided on the truth. He, now stopped too, waited patiently for an answer.

The truth was so complicated. In order to tell it, I had to tell the whole tale from the beginning. I wasn't ready for that. We weren't friends. We didn't have any kind of relationship at all. We were just random public that made Church a crowdy place.

I opened my mouth to lie but decided on another form of truth.

"I can't tell you that," I said realizing again that my stuttered voice usually vanished in front of him.

He looked at me with no change of expression. He fully turned on me then, his eyes blazing with something that I couldn't identify. My heart clenched in fear. If I were to get strangled here, how long will it take for my family to bother to find my body?

"And why is that so?" he asked, stepping forward, hands clenched into fists.

I blinked widely at him and looked around for a way to escape. Finding none, I backed away, trying to think of alternate ways to help my poor self.

"It's a-a lo-long story," I gave a pitiful terrified stutter.

That made him freeze like stone. If I didn't know better, I would have thought of him as a sculpture carved from marble to be placed in one of the many rich gardens in the colony. His expression, which was raging in anger, settled into a soft sad one.

"I apologize," he muttered in a hushed whisper and started to walk again and I followed quietly, this time making sure to stay a good five feet away from him.

As I neared my house, he made me take the lead as he did not know the directions.

I reached my house and prayed to myself that something drastic wouldn't happen when I enter through the door way.

But before I could enter my house, I turned away to see that he was already walking away.

My mind, sending away uncalled nerve signals, made me move so quickly that for a moment my surroundings were blurred and the next thing I knew he was staring down at me while I clutched his arm tightly.

I wanted to kill myself. Why couldn't I just let him walk away?

"I-I am sorry for troubling you today," I said in my much practiced apologizing tone that I often used with my family including my younger sister.

"Don't apologize to me," I heard him grumble under his breath.

I let go of him and nodded with a small smile. I should smile before I can go inside and cry.

"And thank you for interacting with me," I said sincerely, "It made me feel… human,"

Despite the horrification of what I had said, I looked up at him to give him another sincere smile.

He stared at me in a soft expression.

I was about to turn away and walk back when I stopped when he said something.

"How about you have lunch with me and my er… friends," I heard him wince a little, "tomorrow?"

Tears brimmed my eyes as I looked over to him in utter joy.

"Really?"

He nodded dumbly.

I wiped the tears from my eyes and gave a huge smile at him.

"Thank you so much,"

I turned away and jogged into the house, feeling too happy for anything. I didn't know how desperate I was for company. The offer that Sasuke had given me made my heart flutter in utter joy. Tomorrow… people will know I was alive. Tomorrow… I will interact with Sasuke's friends. Tomorrow, maybe, Jesus will give me a chance too.

* * *

**Ha. Well I am late. Sorry. Enjoy. **


	10. Slashing Pain

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter ten**

**Slashing pain**

**

* * *

**

_**People don't recognise me**_

_**As pretty or ugly**_

_**Or different or special**_

_**To them**_

_**I am only a faceless ghost**_

_**They recognize me**_

_**By counting **_

_**The purple spots on my face**_

_**The scratches on my hands**_

_**And even then**_

_**They tend to ignore**_

_**

* * *

**_

He was just standing at the corner, his mouth set into an expressionless way, his back leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his broad chest and watching the scene with raised eye brows and emotionless eyes as though he was enjoying it. My sister actually had a humungous smile on her face; at least, she didn't bother to hide her emotions but has decided to hurt me straight on.

And the most disgusting thing was the fact that I was older than her and yet I was so low in her eyes.

I was on my knees now, coughing blood, my heart twisting ten thousand times faster than my stomach and gut which had been kicked countless of times. My cheek felt hot as my steaming tears flowed over them, tingling the sores on my face… my cheeks were going to turn purple soon. And then I would be the ghost with white eyes and purple cheeks.

And scratches.

And broken bones.

And wounds.

And blood stains.

I wonder, as I trembled on my knees and robotically nodded on my father's long yells and speeches, on the thought that how long will it take for me to heal. I wanted to crawl into a hole and die because I knew that for a few days, I wouldn't be allowed to leave the house… even for school. I knew that for a few days, I would be in bed, trying to recover from my injuries.

It felt like a book being read again and again for a hope of a new story.

"THIS IS HOW YOU TREAT A HYUUGA NAME!? BY COMING HOME AT ONE IN THE MORNING!? WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF SOMEBODY HAD SEEN YOU!? **DID **ANYONE SEE YOU!?"

My lips whimpered.

_Sasuke._

"ANSWER ME NOW!"

I shook my head with as much force as I could, allowing my hair to fall on my eyes. I covered my mouth with my hand and relaxed as the warm liquid seeped onto my cold skin.

I embraced myself as I felt my father kick me again in the ribs. I didn't groan or made any kind of sound… maybe that what annoyed him… my silence. Silence.

My father backed up from me then, disgusted and angry. He turned to Neji, to my and his uttermost surprise, and then spat:

"From next week, you are to escort her wherever she goes… do you get that?!"

I raised my head slowly, my bangs falling backwards enough for me to see Neji's pale stricken face filled with nothing but disgust and anger. Though his expression changed as soon as it had appeared and his face was set up again with an emotionless demeanour. I stared at him, my eyes wide, as he looked at me.

This time there didn't need to be a use of words to express what we both were thinking… it was like, maybe, this was our first ever conversation ever. Me on the floor, broken while he against the wall, looking down on my like I was filth… and my mind was frozen as he looked me straight in the eyes.

He nodded and walked away, leaving me with his invisible words in my head.

"_You killed my father and now you are trying to make me your slave. I hate you. I hate you more than anything else. It would be better if you were dead… gone… dead…"_

As my family walked away from the living lounge, the beating-me-to-death show over, I staggered to my feet and stumbled to my room as quietly as I could.

My father should have hurt me and only me… he should stop hurting him with me too.

For a moment, as I opened my personal first aid box and stripped myself naked, I was actually glad to see several marks on my body that I had gotten from my father. At least he was there, full of pleasure, as he stared at me getting killed.

Let there be pleasure for killing than sorrow for slavery.

Though my tears started to reappear when I remembered Sasuke and Jesus… I guess… we were never really meant to be anything. Not even people who made Church a crowdy place.

* * *

**Late and crappy chapter alert. Crappy poem in the beginning and couldn't decide on the end. I think that the endings are being repeated way too much.**

**Sorry about the OH-So-Late update. Really. Please track me down now and kill me. I hate it when I disappoint my readers! **

**Also... who read the new naruto chapter? If you have... let's join hands and send a ton of hate mail to kishi-kun for the sake of Hinata. Wish she doesn't die. I wish she doesn't die. I wish... *sighs* WAAAHHH!!!**

**

* * *

**


	11. Dull Walls

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter eleven**

**Dull walls**

**

* * *

**

_Don't fall down_

_Even though they look weak_

_And old_

_Yet, they stay as they are_

_Not falling down_

_

* * *

_

It was Sunday. Usually on this day, I would dress up in a yellow sundress, wear a hat, and walk over to Church where the Father would be there, lecturing monotonously about betterment of human kind to a surprisingly large audience.

It had made me wonder where those people actually came from at first but after some time… I tend to ignore them.

Sasuke never intended these Sunday gatherings. I didn't blame him actually… he was a guy that was isolated from interaction… him being there in the Church with so many people… Of course he wouldn't come.

Sundays, for me, were good days. I liked going to church even though I was like an invisible human to many and got stepped on a lot. I would walk down the street and stop at a book store or at a park and waste some time.

To me… Sundays were like a taste of freedom I cherished.

But as I sat on my bed, my hand tightened across my belly absent-mindedly, I knew that from tomorrow… nothing was going to be the same.

Maybe, Neji would refuse to let me go to Church. What would happen then?

Just the thought made my eyes glisten in fresh tears… a broken girl like me had nobody but God and his place.

But then again… God did work in mysterious ways.

I lifted my shirt up and looked at the bandages underneath. Usually, my father wouldn't go as far as breaking bones. But this time… he did. One of my ribs was broken and I had taped it as best as I could, thanks to my mother's books of research. I was never allowed to go to a doctor because I knew the next thing that would happen to me was that I was send away to some foster home away from white eyes people.

The very thought made me tempted of ratting out my father. Of crying and yelling in the court that my father abuses me… that this torture has been going on forever.

But I knew… I couldn't do that. Hyuugas would be disgraced. And my mother was, too, a Hyuuga.

* * *

It was Monday… at last. As I woke up and limped towards the shower, I was actually glad to get out of the confines of my old empty four walled room. As I unwrapped all the bandages and got into the shower, I tried to think of excuses and gather my courage to tell Neji off when we would be walking home.

I bit my lip.

He will certainly kill me.

As I wrapped myself with new bandages and put ointment where it hurt more than I could handle, I knew, from the bottom of my heart, that I had to face Sasuke today no matter what happened.

Seeing Sasuke was something that made me forget everything that I knew and making myself step into the world of silenced comfort. Where I would stare at him, his dark bangs falling onto his dark orbs of his eyes, struggling to walk and smile.

Even in his smile and his walk… there was something more than a burden that was only noticed by me and only me.

But…

I got dressed and wore my shoes. The thoughts ended with this mere _"But…" _It was like… I was hesitant in coming closer to him even though I wanted to be with him more than my life. Like… I wanted someone to be with me so I could open my mouth without being slapped or killed in the process.

Maybe. He wanted the same.

But…

I sighed loudly and walked downstairs and out of the house. I saw Neji sulking against the pillar, probably waiting for me. As I walked over to him, he turned and scowled at me.

"Hurry up next time," he snapped in an irritated voice and started to walk down the street with such a fast pace that I had to jog, despite the pain in my body, to catch up with him.

"S-sorry," I whispered.

_Sorry… I took some time bandaging myself up. _

* * *

**Personally speaking... this chapter is a filler on what excitement is coming next. Though right now, I can only hear one thing in my head and that's HINATA SHOULDN'T DIE!**

**I AM SO SAD! PEOPLE! IMAGINE MY MISERY WHEN I SAW HER EYES CLOSED AND THE TRAIL OF BLOOD AND WHEN THE PAIN BASTARD SAID "YOU NOW KNOW THE PAIN OF DEATH OF LOVE" OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.**

**Waaaaaaahhh.**

**btw.... happy quick chapter update day. :D.**

**The next one is coming up next.**


	12. My slowpaced run

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter one**

**Chapter twelve**

**My slow-paced run**

**

* * *

**

_To myself_

_I am the fastest one around_

_To someone else_

_I am not even there_

_To you_

_I am standing still_

_

* * *

_

He left me in front of my classroom and walked away without a glance, his features still engulfed in what seem like a hatred filled scowl. I was glad that he was one year older than me and was going to graduate next year, leaving me alone.

I didn't know if I should be happy or sad. But at that time, as I stepped into the classroom and my eyes landed towards the occupied seat near the window, I was happy.

But my happiness were turned into sorrow when he didn't even bother to look at me when I passed by his row towards my seat. As I sat staring at me, my heart clenched painfully and I wanted to wail out crying.

His eyes, staring out of the window, were blank and dead. He was not even aware of the hustling bustling of the crowd around him. Jesus was standing across him, looking at him in a defeated silence, his arms crossed over his chest.

He sighed loudly and slammed his hands on Sasuke's desk. Sasuke, in turn, turned his face away from the window to give him a blank dead look.

"Oye Sasuke! What's up with you! You are acting even more dead than before! At least blink!"

At that time, I wanted to be as confident as Jesus and walk over to the dark cloud and tell him to get his white lining again.

At that time… I wanted courage in exchange of those broken bones, bruises and scars… just to go and tell him to snap out of it and look around at the gifts that God has given to you. Look at Jesus who has been sent especially for you and look at all those people surrounding you. Look at God being busy helping you and only you. Smile. Smile. Speak. Say something.

Tears were in my eyes as I watched him stare blankly at Jesus. The blond gritted his teeth angrily.

"OYE! I AM TALKING TO YOU! STOP ACTING LIKE A FREAK!"

Sasuke got up silently, shrugged, slipped his hands into his pockets and walked out of the classroom like there was nothing wrong with the whole situation.

Like he was suddenly turned deaf to the worry in Jesus's voice.

_Why… how… how could he ignore Jesus's voice? How… how could he ignore someone else's concern! HOW COULD HE…!_

I got up from my seat with such force and anger that my seat toppled backwards and hit the floor with a loud clatter, breaking the class's intense silence.

And then…

They all looked at me. Not through me… but at me. Their eyes big and surprised, their heads turned towards me, their eyes settled on my figure… on my anger… on my face… on my broken body… on my… everything.

The overwhelming feeling was stronger than my anger and I wanted to look away and disappear again rather than deal with all those surprised stares.

But then I spotted something in their stares… something that made the adrenaline rush into my veins; expectations… curiosity… decisiveness…

And then, in my new surroundings, the walls melted into nothingness and I could feel something creep into my heart and say:

"**I am with you. This time… do what you want to do," **

And as though my will was read and I was controlled, again, by some mystical power… I found myself running down the rows so fast that the students seemed like a blur to me… I was running so fast that I was out of the door in the matter of mere seconds and I didn't even hear the surprised gasps and voices behind me or around me… I was running after him in such a rush, that I didn't even notice the pair of white eyes staring at me from across the corridor… and I was in front of Sasuke in a matter of what seemed seconds and I was watching him, in slow motion, as he looked at me in surprise and stopped in his tracks… I didn't even know when my hand went all the way back and then collided hard against his perfectly pale porcelain skin… but I knew one thing. This was what I wanted to do at this time and God was with me on this one.

He was at last with me this time.

The sound of the slap echoed through the walls of the school corridors like a trumpet blown at the start of the war. My panting eased up slowly and I caught my breath as I opened my mouth.

"SNAP OUT OF IT ALREADY!" I yelled with all my force, making every body around me startle and stare at us two in such a great intensity that a huge lump formed into my throat at once.

Sasuke's eyes were wide and his eyes slowly formed a hint of shock. His black eyes were glistening with what seemed like, surprising and gladly for me, not anger but realization.

His cheek was slowly turning red from my force of the slap and my hand was tingling in what seemed like electricity because of the interaction of skin. My panting was slowing down and the adrenaline rush seemed to disappear… making my heart flutter in embarrassment and anxiety as the silence grew in the corridor, as our audience waited for a reaction from Sasuke… as Sasuke just stared at me in a dumbfounded expression.

Silence.

Fear.

What… am I going to do?

"What's going on here?! Hyuuga! I didn't expect something like this from you! Detention for a WEEK! How shameful…"

Who ever the hell the teacher was… I was actually glad that she was there to break the anxiety in the corridor. I saw Jesus gaping at me like a fish and Neji staring at my actions like a statue… his face pale and his eyes wide.

And Sasuke.

He actually had a smile on his face as he turned away and walked away from me towards the classroom… towards his awaited friends and the curious glances.

And as I was taken to the Head Mistress office… I had never been so happy in my life and the smile and the blush on my face was the proof of it.

* * *

**This is my favorite chapter so far! :D. **

**Have you ever felt the voice of God in your heart? And then you did something that you won't ever done before or even thought of doing before? I can't remember but I know that I have. And in the end... you either find yourself in front of the mirror or filling in the pages in your diary with the same words "I heard Him today. God really do exists. I love him. He loves me." **

**That feeling is so amazing. Like... you don't need anyone except for Him and He will be there for you no matter what happened. We just need to be patient and not lose hope.**

**So I refuse to believe the thing that Hinata is dead and I have hope and I am praying to God that Pain takes her UNCONCIOUS form to Akatsuki and ask Sasuke to brainwash her so she could became an Akatsuki member and work with them and get paired up with Sasuke-kun!!!!!!!**

**Anything BUT her funeral! AWWWWAAAHHHH!!! :( **


	13. Small Reasons

**Blossoming Burnt Petals  
By Ayesha Raees**

**Small Reasons**

_I could hear them whisper  
I could hear them talk  
Turning faces  
to look at me as I walk  
and when they come to me  
and ask  
I merely reply  
"It's nothing bad, it's nothing wrong,_

_For small reason I have done so_

_And it was, for me, a task,"_

* * *

I have never been to detention before. As I seated myself on the desk of the first empty row, which was scrapped and engraved with words that forced me to look away and gulp the sudden rise of bile in my throat, I tried to ignore the interesting looks that I was getting from the students, that looked more like criminals with their tattoos and piercings, and ended up sweating even before five minutes through detention had passed.

The teacher, a silver haired man who probably took senior classes, was giving me a questioning look but, after some time, looked away and allowed himself to get busy in an orange covered romance novel that was restricted for the people to read under eighteen.

Restricted.

Right. Like that would stop anyone.

Ten minutes passed and I was wishing that I had never slapped Uchiha Sasuke in front of the whole school and become an item of pure gossip and shameless assumptions.

Fifteen minutes passed and I was regretting the time that I had slapped Uchiha Sasuke. Why the morning? It earned me stares throughout the whole classes and that was not only uncomfortable but was also suffocating.

Twenty minutes passed by when I started to feel the sudden pain residing in my body. The ointment that I used so early must have done with its effect. My muscles hurt because of my wonderful dash and the wonderful slap that I put all my meek energy into. My heart started to ache but only a little but I knew that it would start with a blow when I reached home… church… out of school…

Twenty five minutes later, I sat up straight instead of crouching down into a ball that I usually did. Why? Because I just realized that the sudden pain at my side was because my broken rib was giving me trouble. Sitting up straight suddenly made me feel like I was the top of the world and I had a better sight for everything. Wow. Why didn't I sit up straight before?

Thirty minutes later, I realized that a few guys were pointing at me and whispering something. I felt my throat become dry and I crouched down again into a small ball despite the pain I felt. But they continued whispering and then there was silence.

Thirty five minutes later, I felt the chair at my side slide back with a loud scrap and somebody slumped into it. I gulped a knot in my throat and looked at the guy, who was grinning from ear to ear, from the corner of my eyes. I shrunk lower when I saw two red triangular tattoos on his cheeks. I alarmingly looked at the teacher at the desk and found him deep asleep, with the book on his face.

"Yo!" He yapped like a dog.

I clutched my hands together and with a paper white face looked at him. I could hear snickers from the last row.

"I am Kiba! You are?" he went on in the same yappy voice even though my face indicated that I was allergic to dogs… humans… guys… trouble seekers.

"Hi-hi-hi-hi-," I croaked out and gulped again. More laughs from the last row.

"Hee?"

I shut my mouth and tried to immune myself to the embarrassment I was feeling. He took my silence as a yes… sadly.

"Hee-chan it is!" He grinned again," Are you new?"

I moved my finger a little to see if my body still worked according to my will and then after the tedious experiment (my finger pained because there was a scratch on it)… shook my head.

"Oh? Really? I haven't seen you around before!" He exclaimed as though he had lost something precious to him.

I glanced at the clock again. Forty minutes gone. Twenty left. God. Help. Me.

I politely gave him a small smile just to make him stop waiting for a response. He grinned back and then moved closer. A squeak escaped my throat and I moved back at once and look alarmingly around, including the teacher who was speaking some irrelevant things in his slumber, for help.

"So tell me Hee-chan… wassup with you and Uchiha?" His voice was low yet attentive, his eyes were narrow and wolf like, his brown hair created strange shadows on his face and he kept coming closer.

And closer.

And closer.

"Well?"

"I-I-I-I-"

"Yes? Go on?"

I felt tears come to my eyes and my stomach churn.

I was about to create an embarrassing scene in front of my closely watching detention buddies when the bell rang loudly and the teacher bolted up with a yell and his book fell on the desk with a snap. Panting and flushed, I stared at him and then back at the boy and saw him standing in front of me. The teacher looked at us with an interesting look and I, dumbfounded, looked at the guy in front of me with sudden confusion and fright.

"It was nice talking to you _Hinata_! I hope we have this kind of conversation again some time!" He flashed me a smile, which trembled me to the bone, and walked away… out of the room.

There were disappointing noises from the back as they also, staring at me as they went, filed out… leaving me and the teacher alone in the classroom.

"Well… don't you want to go?" He asked with a stiffened yawn and rubbed his one visible eye.

With trembling legs, I pulled my bag onto my shoulder and shivered and stumbled my way out of the room, trying not to burst into tears.

"_He already knew my name…"_

And as I spotted Neji in his basket ball demeanor, with sweat clinging on his back and his hair damp, playing away in the courtyard with no significant concern about a certain someone he had to live with until he turned eighteen… I stopped in confusion and at the sudden feeling of lost.

Because I could not understand whether I liked being known or being forgotten.

* * *

**I have a reason why I put Kiba as an evil guy. Itachi's too old to be at school. Gaara don't talk like that. And Suigetsu came to my mind after I had done.**

**So yeah... Kiba it is. Maybe I could put some mean hooligans in is gang. XD XD.**

**Poor poor Hina-chan! XD**

**Oh btw. My dad's reading this story. O.O I am happy and a little nervous. :p Obtain from using junk stuff. :p XD.**

**I know it has been a long time since i updated but school is really killing me. :/. And my exams are up soon. Then summer! THEN my dad will come over from Dubai where he works and I will pester him about buying me a new laptop. :p**

**Spoilt me. XD**

**See ya! **


	14. Apologies

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter fourteen**

**Apologies**

_You say you are at fault_

_I say I am in denial_

_Because nothing really makes sense_

_To any of them except for us_

_So let me be your clutch _

_And please be my phone_

There was a hint of curiosity at the edge of his eyes as he, for an excuse to stretch his neck or rub his forehead, glanced at me as we walked down the street at a low pace. Maybe because today Neji-nii-san was in a good forgiving mood and he had realized that the sweat on my forehead was not because of lack of stamina but was actually because of the pain that was wrenching away my composed agony and controlled tears. Yet, even then, as the church came into view, I stared at the white shiny cross with a great longing and anxiety. I wanted to march in there and apologized to Sasuke straight in his face for what I had done but the grip of pain and anxiety over my new born determination was stronger than my meek courage and that lead me to silence.

Though I knew that I could not just walk away from the very gates of God's realm and ignore Him and Sasuke for another day… another day when another chance of God's voice would enter through my head and wake me up from my own broken day dreams.

I stopped in my tracks and waited for my cousin to notice my lack of participation in the _oh-so-exciting _walk home. It wasn't long before we both were staring at each other, full in the eye with expressions that betrayed no emotions or care.

I lifted my gaze from his electrifying eyes and glanced at the church on the other side of the road.

"I-I have to-to go the-there," I allowed my lips to open as little as possible. For only the words to go through… not for the painful screams that was just behind them.

The curiosity changed into confusion as he, too, glanced up at the gigantic building of God. A serene silence fell on top of us as I waited, surprisingly blissful, for him to answer. As the silence stretched, fear began to creep into my heart at the haunting thoughts of his rejection and denial. I bit my lip and waited anxiously for his answer.

"Ok, I will be waiting here," His voice was soft yet without any emotions. He walked away towards the near shade of the tree.

"Ar-Arigatou!" I voiced out, suddenly joyful for him to actually agree to something I asked. To actually give me something that I wanted… maybe this was a change… maybe…

I smiled gratefully and he regarded me with a blank stare. I turned and half stumbled half walked towards the Holy Place which held most of my daily comfort.

I pushed opened the door noiselessly and entered with silent steps only to find him waiting for me, with his hands slumped into his pockets, near the statue.

His gaze was like venom… hard as rock and cold as glass. I immediately, my hopes shattering into billion of pieces of thinking I had a support, looked down towards my shoes. It took every ounce of will power I had left to walk over to him and yet I still failed, my body coming to a stop only half way to where he was standing.

"_I shall not break down," _I thought to myself as I felt him march over to me with such anticipation and energy that I felt my body shrunk automatically for another heart-breaking blow. I stiffened a sob.

"_I shall not break down," _

His hands grasped my shoulders harshly and a wince escaped my lips.

"Look at me," he demanded his voice ever so smooth and alert and as though in a hypnotic trance, I felt my head inclined up to meet his fired up gaze.

"Where have you been?" he snapped, his brows furrowing.

I stared up at him in fear and tried to move away, praying to God for help but his grip tightened on my shoulders and my home treated wounds cried in pain.

"I am sorry," I whispered.

"What are you apologizing for?" It was now obvious that he was trying to control his anger.

"I shouldn't… I-I… the slap…today…" my breath was coming in great pants now… I was trying not to break down.

"_I shall NOT break down,"_

I gulped as I felt him flinch.

"That doesn't matter! I am asking something else! Where have you been for such a long time?" he seethed out the question again, this time too desperately.

I had no idea what to answer him. I could not absolutely tell the truth. What would he say? That he wanted to be friends with someone who had a normal loving family? That an abusive father was not what he was looking for? That all my loved ones were just trying to break me down?

"_I shall NOT break down!"_

I opted for silence again. I stared at him in the eyes with fear and decided not to say anything.

There was a minute silence. His expression turned from anger to impatient to desperate to finally sorrow and hurt. He let go of me and slumped down to the nearest seat.

I stood there hugging myself.

"Why don't you tell me?" he questioned, his head in his hands, his voice wretched up to its core.

I, with what little courage I had left, walked over to him and took his hands gently to lift them up from his face. Bewildered, he looked at me with big wide eyes. I forced a smile.

"Please Sasuke-san… don't be concerned about me. It won't lead you anywhere," I whispered.

This time, he was the one who was silent yet I continued.

"I just want you to be happy and not be… not be worried about me," I gulped a knot in my throat.

I waited for his reply for some time but when I was now regarded with my own method of silent stares, I decided that it was no use trying to bend our so called distorted friendship to its real shape.

"I will take my leave now," I whispered softly, taking in his god like face for the last time, I let go of his cold hands and, trying to control my emotions, turned to walk out.

Like thunder piercing through a dark night, he got up from his seat, grabbed my arm with such strength that a small painful gasp escaped my lips. He turned me around and embraced me into a tight blissful hug, burying his face into my shirt.

The sudden change of events left me helplessly speechless. Such happiness erupted with in me that it took control of my heart and allowed me to enjoy the warmth and affection of the situation. I never had any physical contact with anyone… not even a hug or a hand shake… not once since my mother died. I clutched his shirt helplessly, trying to forget my mother's haunting dead face.

Maybe it was this that gave him the idea that I, too, was leaning into him and wanted more than just a mere hug, that he allowed his hand to slip under my sweater to feel my skin.

But his skin contacted only with the cheap rough texture of bandages.

A frown over came his features and he inclined his head slowly to examine my state.

He let go of me as quickly as he had hugged me, leaving me cold and fearful again. I glanced at him. His complexion had gone white and his eyes were wide with shock and terror. I stepped back with a knot in my throat.

It took him a minute to calm himself down and he gave me a concerned yet gentle look.

"Hinata, what happened?"

Maybe it was the way his gorgeous voice carried out my name or maybe it was the way he gently offered to listen… I don't know… but tears began to fall down my eyes and I began to sob with heavy pants and loud sniffs, trying to cover my pain filled face with my hands.

"_I SHALL NOT BREAK DOWN!" _

He quickly grabbed me to show his presence and concern and I buried my head into his shirt to continue to tear up.

"_Oh shut up you stupid good for nothing façade,"_

* * *

**I am sorry for such a late update but I am still having computer trouble. :(. I will try to update faster and faster and finish this fanfic in this summer. :). So don't worry.**

**This chapter turned out weird. Too many things pushed in. I think I went too fast... did I? O.O i hope not. :p. Sasuke is not like Sasuke. Hinata is Hinata. :p. I am glad I can potray her easily and write her easily too. I don't know i always have trouble with sasuke! :p**

**Enjoy and review~ **


	15. Knockout

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

Chapter fifteen

Knockout

_The darkness conquers me_

_After the rain and thunder_

_Makes me realize_

_That you are still in confusion_

It was all about fifteen minutes. I cried for fifteen minutesin some guy's shirt who was practically a stranger to me before I knocked out into the darkness. The verge of overflowing emotions was too much for me to handle and it not only caused a nerve-wrecking headache but it also made me lose my conscience. Now it was only a mixture of darkness and colourful blurs in front of me and some panicking, strangely loud, noises around me.

I was totally lost in the mixture of colours and noise. I didn't even know who I was, where I was… I had practically no knowledge of the whirls of life around me.

I just wanted to close everything that was occurring around me. Like shutting a window with all the force one can muster when there is a storm brewing outside. Like slamming a door shut when a random stranger comes at the door… that feeling of closing everything around me was too inevitable to handle. So I, gladly, allowed my emotions to conquer me and drag me to the very depths of darkness where my mother had disappeared too… where my uncle had disappeared too… where my everything has disappeared too.

When I next opened my eyes, I only faced the ever so familiar white ceiling of my room. Trying not to think of the current situation and the lost time, I sat up to face…

Nothing.

There was no one in my room.

I began to hyperventilate. Who dragged me here? Sasuke? What did father say about the whole situation? What about Neji-nii-san? And why in the WORLD don't I feel any pain?

I, looking around the room again for anybody's presence, lifted my shirt up to see my wounds and my home-made treatment bandages only to find my body wrapped up in proper white cloth which was stained with some weird smelling ointment. Surprised, I took in a deep breath.

Alcohol. Phenol. Spirit.

I felt my eyes widened.

"_Somebody took me to a hospital!?"_

I turned around rapidly to search for more clues and saw a bunch of bottles of medicine at the side table of my bed. Feeling slightly dizzy with all the development around me, I, soothing my temples, sat back down my bed.

"_You need to relax Hinata… You just need to relax,"_

I exhaled and inhaled deeply before dazedly looking around. My eyes blankly hovered onto every object, not taking anything in, yet my gaze stopped at a neat piece of folded paper beside the bottles of medicine. Numbly, I picked it up and fingered the edge with care and slight anticipation. Slowly, I unfolded it and allowed my self to read the content.

_Dear Hinata_

_You fainted so I had to take you home. Luckily, I found your cousin outside the church. He said that you fell from the stairs a few days ago and refused to take treatment. Your father called a doctor. Be careful next time. If you need anything, I live two streets away… the red coloured villa at the corner._

_Meet me tomorrow on the roof of the school._

_Don't tell anyone about this._

_Uchiha Sasuke_

I felt tears come to my eyes and crumbled the piece of paper in my handsin resentment.

How can he take Neji-nii-san's words on me falling down the stairs? A person wouldn't really break down just because of a very concerned family wanting treatment when you _accidentally _fell down from a flight of stairs?

I bit my bottom lip with sorrow and tried to forget the betraying feeling I had in my heart. I controlled the wrenching tearful sob that was threatening to escape from my throat and tried my best not to shed tears.

It wasn't the fact that Sasuke had believed every word my family had said when I had grabbed him for help and broken in front of him…no way… it wasn't that at all… but it was the fact that I was so stupid and naïve to lean into someone who I had interacted with for a few moments and trusted him enough to tear up into his chest.

It broke my heart. I knew I was desperate for a friend… for someone… even a stranger… to lean into but it shamed me to no end that I had chosen a person who was even more naïve than me. A person who had simply accepted the word of my family after I was hyperventilating at midnight to go home… after I had helped him out of the darkness… after I had broken down in front of him.

Can't I deserve a helper who would drag me out of darkness too and give me a place to shine?

I did not have Jesus. Maybe I just needed to wait for my own. A person who would drag me out of this freaking darkness too.

Sasuke was not my helper at all. He was the one needing help. Maybe… he couldn't understand the whole situation. There were thousand of teenagers out there who cried their eyes out because of petty matters and mere problems… Sasuke would have thought the same. He was a guy after all.

Heaving a sigh and relaxing my nerves, I closed my eyes and silently forgave Sasuke for whatever he had done and thanked him for fifteen minutes for dragging me home and convincing my father, I don't know how, to give me proper treatment.

When a person asks another for more than one can provide… that person forget the deeds one had already provided before.

That person forgets to be thankful.

Being abused was nothing practically. It was just payment for living under a roof and for the food that she lived on for survival. Maybe her father needed to expose his frustration sometimes too… at least… she had taken her mother's role.

She should be thankful to God for what little she had. It could have been worst. Being optimistic was her only source of survival.

There was a knock on the door and it creaked open slightly. I opened my eyes and stared vividly at the person who had now entered my room.

He was surprised to see me awake but his surprise at once turned into seriousness at my vivid gaze. A scowl at once came across his features. He shut the door behind me and I heard the click of the lock. My heart beat quickened.

"If it wasn't for the fact that you were dating an Uchiha… your father would have ordered me to bury you alive," his voice was sleek.

"Wha-what do you want Neji-nii-san?" I whispered, suddenly scared and nervous, praying silently for God's protection from his venomous gaze.

The evil glint in his eyes was an only answer to her very innocent question.

Hyuugas were really horrible humans.

* * *

**As promised... a quick update. Stay tuned for more soon. I am almost done with the next chapter... :p. Almost. **

**oh one thing. I am holding a contest. I want all of you to guess what happens next and whose idea i like the best would get either a fanfic, amv, anime background, icon for your account. No pics.. :p. I am not a good artist. :). **

**And yes... I have no idea what to write next. So i need your help. And I am paying you *with the above* *I make good amvs* :)**


	16. Dealing Deals

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter sixteen**

**Dealing Deals**

_Do not approach me  
Do not touch me_

_I may be a frail doll_

_But I do have a beating heart._

Her vibrant green eyes were fixed on me. Her mouth was set in a firm line. Her beautiful glossy pink hair swayed beautifully in the wind. She was a perfect picture of a beautiful girl, her face holding gentleness yet strength, her figure holding grace yet swiftness, her eyes holding vulnerability yet determination.

She was a mixture of many things that I wanted to be. If I was her, I would have been somewhere else, laughing among people and ignoring broken souls like me. But I wasn't her and the vibrant pink haired beauty was giving me her full attention.

Just by looking at her, I had sweated a thousands beads and gulped a hundred of knots. As my eyes searched her face and figure for flaws and I was, in turn, unsuccessful, I wanted to rush to the mirror and try to convert into her somehow.

Ever since birth, I was a plain ugly girl. Ever since last night, I was a plain ugly and a LOST girl.

There have been many things I have encountered in my life but it had never resulted in the feeling of being totally lost. And one thing I knew, I had knowledge of how lost people looked… so I had a perfect image of myself, with bland eyes and a motionless dead face, in my head.

Than why did a vibrant beauty, so popular and amazing for the likes of me, approach me this morning before class?

"Hyuuga Hinata, do you know who I am?" She asked, raising her eye brows at my dumbfounded expression.

I slowly shook my head.

"I am Haruno Sakura! Uchiha Sasuke's fiancé!"

My heart went into a fit of panic, fluttering here and there around my chest. I gulped down, yet, another knot.

"Oh," I managed to produce a fake smile, "Ni-nice t-t-t-to meet y-y-ou,"

She raised her eye brows at me again, her eyes analyzing me from up to down.

"Even though you don't seem like a threat to me, I demand you to tell me your relationship with Uchiha Sasuke!"

_Relationship?_

In truth, Haruno-san, he is my first friend and I love him in many ways… but I know that nobody, not even my family, not even my mother, can love me back as much as I want them to love me. So I am content with what little he can give me… even if he has a fiancé that he hasn't mentioned and even if he has too many friends to have time for me. I am even content if he would slap me and desert me but keep in contact with a plain phone call once a decade. But if he ever needs any help from me… I would be there for him. I would be there for him to listen, to support him… even if it's a one sided relationship… even if, in the future, I am married to a man that I hate… I would always be the one to help him.

I looked at her and, with another pitiful smile, I said

"W-w-we a-a-are n-nothing t-t-that should a-arise suspicions," I whispered to her.

For one second, I saw relief watch over her face but the expression was lost in an instant and she was glaring at me with her foul façade again.

"Remember Hyuuga," she whispered, turning away from me, "I am watching you,"

_Thank you… because God is not._

She walked away and the whole student body stared at me with no shame whatsoever as I stumbled my way across the corridor to my classroom.

Joyful moments are still joyful even if it's last a second. And with that in my mind, I allowed my eyes to fall on his seat.

And… it was empty.

Despair came over me and wrenched my already broken heart to even smaller pieces. At this rate, my heart would be mere particles, afloat in darkness, stumbling here and there.

Why wasn't he there? Does he not venture to see me too? Or is he betrayed by my actions of last night?

But last night wasn't any of my fault was it?

I sighed loudly and walked, with my head down and sweating under the gazes, towards my seat. Sasuke had betrayed me.

It was the third period when I finally allowed my head to pay attention to the teacher and fumbled with my notebook to take notes.

As I opened the first page, I froze.

At the top of the page was scribbled:

**In case you forget… meet me on the roof.**

The roof.

_THE ROOF!_

I felt ashamed at my previous thoughts of betrayal but at once regarded them at the back of my mind. It wasn't my fault was it? I had a tough night anyway… I had a lot to think about anyway…

It wasn't my fault right?

I gulped loudly as I slowly raised my hand in the air. The teacher stopped lecturing and looked at me in surprise.

"Er… yes miss… Hyuuga?" she said, her eyes finally registering to my eyes. I felt the whole classroom move in sudden activity.

"A-a-ano…" I whimpered, "I-I f-f-forgot my erm… me-medicine. C-c-can I be e-excused?"

_God… forgive me. _

I glanced a little way at Naruto and our eyes met for a second before I looked at the teacher again who was trying to make a decision. Jesus had a soft worried expression implanted on his face and he was staring directly at me. Just thinking of his gaze at my direction made my face burn up.

I wish I could have observed him more to see what he was thinking.

The teacher sighed loudly and waved her hand dismissively, before muttering something on the lines of _Hyuugas _and _good kids. _As she started lecturing again, I, ignoring the happiness I felt inside, got up from my seat and slowly stumbled out of the classroom, the corner of my eye fixed on the frown on Jesus's face.

Was I doing something bad?

I trotted through the corridor and climbed the countless of steps, my side paining more and more with every step. A broken rib will be a broken rib even if a professional bind it.

Panting, I banged open the door of the roof and stopped in my tracks as the cold wind hit my warm face. I stood there, taking in the heavenly goodness of God's creation when I turned to my side and saw Uchiha Sasuke sitting besides the railing, glaring at me.

"I knew you would forget,"

* * *

**Yeah. I know it's late. Sorry sorry sorry! T.T Really. **

**I had this chapter written for ages but i was so reluctunt to post it. I wanted to end it up differently or start it up differently or... just twist it away... differently. Not like that.**

**But than i was like "I HAVE TO SHOW SUCKURA IN HINATA'S POV!" and than i was like... I guess i will twist it away in the next few chappies. :D. **

**What happened between Hinata and Neji? The contest is still on. :p  
**


	17. My lonely sparkle

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Part Two**

**Chapter Seventeen**

**My lonely sparkle**

_**The blood **_

_**The shame**_

_**The vain**_

_**Darkness always did terrify me.**_

My name is Uchiha Sasuke… and I am messed up. My appearance, my emotions, my paths, my everything… is messed up. It started with my birth and continued on and on and _on _with a lot of pain which mangled me into a distorted piece of crap.

I am like nobody else. I _like _nobody else.

To enter my forsaken place of darkness, that is.

What do they know? They go home, whine to their parents and have perfectly _normal _lives. What do they _know _of _watching someone important to them die?_

In my case… it isn't really some_one. _It's a freaking a lot of people.

How does it feel, when your feet carry you blindly into the depths of darkness of your house, which echoes of memories and screams…which is literally stained of blood in some places, and than you don't freaking _feel _anything anymore?

Why is it that your body is _immune _to pain? It was one thing, Uchiha Sasuke admitted, that he always felt and it reminded him that he still had a beating heart.

Most of the times he didn't even know when the seasons passed or when Christmas or other important family holidays came and went, uncelebrated?

Because you freaking need a _family _on _family _weekends.

There was a time when he didn't even know there were people surrounding him. There was a time… when his soul had died.

Yet… everything fell into more depths of confusion when an angel came down from heaven to guide him to _live._

She was human. She was pretty. She was a miniature form of his… mother.

Uchiha Sasuke was in love.

And yet… he still preferred pain as an emotion to actually _feel. _

* * *

"I knew you would forget,"

Disappointment covered me in it's thick venomous layer, making me glare at the angel in front of me who, glancing at me with a startled expression, looked away abruptly to stare at her feet.

"S-sorry," she apologized sincerely.

I never liked making bonds but I never thought that I would be so quickly rejected when trying to make one. Like the fact that her body always stiffens when I try to touch her… or the fact that she never dares to look me in the eye. I thought she was alone but why was she so… _self-centred._

"What happened?" I asked, swallowing my boiling bitterness.

"A-ano… I had a lot of thi-thing on my mind," her voice was so low that it was almost impossible to make out the words.

I pushed myself off the wall and walk over to her, allowing her eyes to linger on her face.

There was something different about her today. Something… really different.

"What's wrong?"

She jolted up her head suddenly, face white and panicked.

"E-er n-nothing's w-wrong! N-nothing a-at all!" she frantically lied.

Why did she always do that? She helped me out of my darkness… why can't she tell _me _anything. I had asked her so many times, I had tried to pry into her life so many times… why can't she just freaking tell me anything? I could help. I could be there for her. Doesn't she want that? Doesn't _everybody _want that? To have somebody out there, looking out for them? Helping them? _Loving them?_

I clenched my hand into fists.

"Why do you lie to me so much?"

She looked extremely uncomfortable. She glanced up at me through her beautiful lavender orbs and than quickly looked away again, blinking rapidly.

"I-I am sorry,"

"For what?"

"F-For everything,"

Confusion. That was what I was in. Always. I had thought that the reason of this state was the fact that I never interacted, let alone, concentrated on the humans that surrounded me… but that idiot, Naruto, changed my opinion immediately. In order to form a bond, there has to be two people willing to communicate. If the connection gets broken by either of them, there can't really be a bond now, will there?

Maybe the problem with this whole ordeal was her. Hyuuga Hinata was a nice girl. Too nice. She thought that whatever horrible things happened to her, she deserved them and accepted them without any negative thoughts in between. She was too kind and too optimistic. It wasn't really a bad thing… yes… It wasn't. But the problem in that kind of admiringly unique habit was that it made a person selfless and isolated from normal rights.

She was the girl who would easily forgive him if he would slap her right across the face right then and now.

But he was the kind of boy who was sick and tired of all the fighting and just wanted a place to rest his head.

Yet… how can a person rest somewhere when the place is always covered with big heavy rain clouds?

Uchiha Sasuke was many things; he had taken drugs, held a gun, _shot _a gun, ran away from places, crashed places and had done many horrible things that he, himself, abhorred… but one thing that he was not; was to be his brother.

I sighed loudly and allowed my features to soften up.

He refused to break down some innocent girl just to pleasure himself up. He refused to hurt someone who was the subject to hurt all the time. He refused to kill his saviour.

* * *

**Well. As promised. A quick update. :D. Thanks for all the your amazing previous reviews. I heart you guys for them. I never thought i would get any feedback because of my late replies but even then, thank you. :D**

**Coming to the next thing, yes. This is part two. NOT a sequel (i don't think so there would be a sequel of any type) From now on, it would be of Sasuke's POV. **

**I don't think so I made it a wise decision of making it a sasuke's POV but i believe he has a say in his head to right? :D. **

**Keep reading, reviewing. PM me if you want to chat. PM me if you want a beta. PM me if you wanna ask me anything. I will be honored.  
**


	18. My crimson hand

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**

* * *

  
**

**Chapter Eighteen**

**My crimson hand**

_**Shoot me **_

_**To death**_

_**Shoot me**_

_**To oblivion**_

_**But don't shoot me**_

_**Yourself.**_

_**

* * *

  
**_

I looked at her fidgeting form from the corner of my eye as I leaned harder against the wall, trying to merge with it but obviously, failing. The sun was, thankfully, hidden behind the clouds and the weather was pleasant and windy. It had been almost half an hour since my last conversation which occurred, actually, when I had confronted her earlier. I didn't really mind the silence. Especially the silence that bestowed between both of us was always comforting and it made me relax.

Yet… why was she fidgeting? That showed she was uncomfortable, wasn't she?

"A-ano…" she muttered quietly.

"Yes?"

"W-Was there a-a s-specific reason f-for y-you to call m-me here?"

She took a deep breath after she had uttered out the question that had probably been implanted on her mind since last night. I looked at her slightly amused as she fidgeted again. Did she need that much of time and effort to say one little question?

"There is no specific reason at all. I just wanted to enjoy your company,"

Her cheeks reddened and she blinked several times in order to comprehend what I was saying, which in truth, I had no idea about either.

Hinata clutched the hem of her shirt and bit her bottom lip. It was obvious she wanted to say something else. I waited patiently; trying not to look amused at her meek struggle, and watched her silently.

After a good five minutes later, she parted her lips again.

"A-ano… that's n-not a v-very good r-reason,"

I smirked at her and said rather hotly.

"Well if you had met me regularly than I wouldn't be doing this,"

She looked rather startled and a mixture of emotions came over her face. She, suddenly sadly, looked down, her chin touching her chest.

"Y-Yes. That i-is true… but s-skipping cl-classes is w-wrong,"

So is killing… but does anybody cares? No.

I sighed out loud.

"You are too much of a saint,"

"N-not really,"

I quirked an eyebrow at her. She glanced at me with a small sad smile.

"I-I al-also lie,"

I rolled my eyes.

"Everybody lies, Hinata. Even God,"

She jerked her head straight, suddenly looking at him with blazing eyes. My eyes widened and shock came over me.

"You are wrong. God doesn't lie!" she snapped harshly.

I winced at her suddenly sharp voice and closed my eyes for a few seconds before opening them, trying to wake myself up if, by any chance, I was asleep. How can there be no stuttering and plain anger when another person is bitter and say something against God?

"You people are too conceited," she said and looked away from him, her eyes blazing and her face set up into a deep frown.

I wouldn't have minded if she had stopped at her first outburst. I would have smiled after some time and even patted her head… but the next question; It stung. Bad. The careless words that had left her lips replayed over and over in my head as though not believing that it was actually Hyuuga Hinata who had said that.

"_She is just angry… she is not thinking straight," _I reasoned with myself but the reason was not strong enough to fight back the sudden out bursting anger and bitterness I felt inside.

"You have no idea what I have been through,"

"It could have been even worst,"

"No. I had the worst,"

"If you had the worst, you wouldn't be _alive _right now,"

She looked at me with narrowed eyes.

"I would rather be dead," I snapped back at her.

Her narrowed eyes widened to their full extent and her sudden zeal of arguing vanished into thin air. She, hurt, confused and lost, scrutinized my face, trying to search for a hole.

"Liar," she whispered, looking away after a couple of minutes and directing her eyes towards the blue sky.

I was taken aback by her response. Yes… it was true I lied when I had said that but it was only a small part of my heart that admitted that. I knew my face consisted of only anger and bitterness yet… how can she know I had lied?

"Sometimes," she whispered in a low voice, "I wish I die too,"

My heart seemed to come to a stop.

"But I know it's wrong,"

She looked at me with tears in her eyes.

"Do you want to know why it's wrong?"

The look of confusion and acceptance on my face was proof enough for her to continue.

"If we think of God as a writer… He wouldn't want his favourite characters to die right? If we think of God as a mother… than the mother wouldn't want her child to die either. Likewise… God loves us and if we demand death from Him or try to commit suicide… we betray His love,"

My whole surroundings went devoid of noise as her lips parted to say the last of the words.

"And I don't know about you… but I don't have much love in my life that I can risk to lose,"

Somehow, the useless meeting on the rooftop didn't seem useless anymore.

* * *

**Thank you for the reviews guys! :D. I know that most of you don't like Sasuke's POV but i think it's kind of necessary. I wouldn't be doing it because I just felt like it or something... writing Sasuke esp. in first person is HARD as HELL! Seriously! Try it sometimes. Most of the times I don't even know what I write. :/.**

**Oh well... coming to more important matters; i think this chapter was... bad. I mean... It was cheesy. I don't think so I was able to convey what i wanted to correctly or something around that. The ended the chapter in such a way that I feel like I don't know what to do in the next chapter. **

**But nevertheless... it was a chapter that I concentrated on and to provide my amazing readers to ponder upon.**

**I have been recieving a lot of reviews saying that _"There are not many stories consulting God these days," _I just want to say that when I type... the words flow. I don't think which is weird. When i take a pen and start writing on a piece of paper... the words just... _flow. _When I started this story, I had only one thing in my head... and do you know what that was? :p. It was something like this "A window... lonely boy... windy..." :P.**

**Yes. That's it. I don't even know why windy was there. But I just imagined Sasuke sitting by a window, looking outside, lost in his own thoughts as wind blew through his hair. **

**hehehe... wow. Look at this. I created a story with only three words that did not make sense at all. :p. God is amazing. XD**

**Keep reviewing! :D. Next chapter this weekend.  
**


	19. Small Vows

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Small Vows**

**

* * *

**_**Make her bleed **_

_**From her eyes**_

_**Because when you tend to break**_

_**You break yourself with it.**_

_**

* * *

  
**_

Silence bestowed upon us after her sudden outburst. As I watched her from the corner of my eye; I could see her fidgeting again. It was weird to see how she had gained and lost her fire so suddenly.

It was obvious, by her remarks, that there was something painful she was carrying. Maybe something had happened or, I corrected myself inwardly, was happening in her life that made her so… insecure.

I would have laughed right there and then… but only the silent domain of my house was allowed to listen to sarcastic insane laughter or my heart-wrenching screams. Insecure. Who was insecure here? Me or her?

I sighed loudly and she looked at me.

We both were insane insecure freaks.

"A-are you okay?" She asked softly.

"No, I am not,"

"O-Oh,"

Silence.

"W-what's b-b-bothering you?" she stuttered after a pause.

And, shamelessly, I looked at her. She blushed.

"Tell _me _what happened to _you_,"

She looked startled.

"Now,"

"I-I…"

"Hinata,"

She stared at me in a dumb-fold expression.

"We are friends aren't we?"

And with that, she burst into tears.

* * *

**250 words. :p. New record. :p**

**Next is up so don't flame me. :p  
**


	20. Confession of a broken heart

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**

* * *

  
**

**Chapter twenty**

**Confession of a broken heart**

_**And you tell me everything**_

_**And you tell me what you want**_

_**And you tell what I asked**_

_**But you never told me**_

_**What I wanted to hear**_

_**

* * *

  
**_

"It's my father," she sobbed.

I looked at her in shock, hating as the tears rolled down her cheeks. My throat went dry and my heart clenched painfully. I scooted closer to her and put my arm around her petite shoulders. She leaned into me, sobbing.

"I-I…" she whimpered.

"Sssshhhh," I tried to console her but I failed immediately as her tears began to erupt faster and her sobs become more traumatizing.

This reminded me so much of my childhood; when I was a little boy and cried in my pillow when my father wouldn't acknowledge me and my struggles to catch up to my brother. My brother was always freaking better than me and the _pride _of my family. Everybody, except for me, loved him and bestowed all their dreams unto him.

And look where they are because of that… killed by the very man everybody thought was the _pride of the family._

"What's wrong with your father?" I asked desperately, wanting to know why she was so upset. She didn't answer. I even doubted if she had heard of me or not, judging by the fact that she was so absorbed in controlling her emotions… which made her leak them out more and more.

"He… er… grounded you?" I felt suddenly stupid.

And my stupidity was further exploited by her short raspy laugh that escaped from within her tears.

She shook her head.

"Oh," I sighed out, caressing her shoulders, trying to comfort her. Her sobs slowly ceased into mere sniffles, "You okay?" I whispered.

She nodded slowly.

"I am sorry… it's just…" she paused and than sniffed again, "I am sorry,"

"Don't apologize for something you haven't done,"

"No… I-I… Am I being a bother to you?"

Was she being a bother to me? Was Hyuuga Hinata being a bother to Uchiha Sasuke? Was a girl, he loved, was being a bother to a boy who didn't deserve love in the first place?

The question was so stupid. So insignificant. So _Hinata. _Only she would be asking something like that. Only she would be blaming everything on herself… Only _she _thought that she was a burden on everyone.

Such insecurity reminded me of… myself.

Only a few months ago, I couldn't help myself from the suffocating darkness… and now… was I still too powerless to help this broken angel?

_Am I being a bother to you?_

What kind of question was that? Why would she ask something like that?

That question made me feel so… so… pathetic. That a mere girl can't even trust her feelings with her only friend without asking such a question?

I retreated my arm slowly away from her.

"I am more offended by that question that I was ever in my life,"

Her eyes widened.

"Stop thinking that you are a burden," I snapped at her.

I held her gaze as I intensely looked at her.

"And whoever makes you feel that way… he is the one who has problems. Not you,"

Her eyes widened and she stared at me with her mouth agape… as though I had said something surprising.

My eyes fell at her hand which suddenly clutched her bandaged abdomen. I raised my eyebrows.

"R-really?"

And it was than; it hit me hard, that I was the most blind person in the whole wide world.

* * *

**Well this one is not long either but oh well... bear with me. ^^ **

**I think this story will be around forty chapters (judging by the size of them). =p. I hope this was enjoyable. Please read and review! :D  
**


	21. Fuming ice

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**

* * *

****Chapter twenty One**

**Fuming ice**

_**Even the ice **_

_**So cold and laid back**_

_**Is vicious and dead**_

Anger bubbled inside me and I felt my face crunch in a scowl. I could feel my body heat up and adrenaline was making my negative emotions touch their peak. I could feel bile rise up onto my throat and I swallowed it thickly but, uselessly, it failed to compose itself.

As I swiftly walked down the corridor, the heels of my shoes making clattering noises, I was thankful that nobody had come near me. The expression on my face was twisted so badly and hatred was flowing from me in such thick layers that I was repelling everybody away from me. For once, random girls didn't come up to me, chatting away nonsense. Hell… not even Sakura walked over and I had inwardly labelled her as a _plague. _

I stalked and banged open the door, the cold wind of late autumn hitting my hot face like ice on fire, but the effect didn't help my anger issues.

I eyed the deserted basketball court with a hard glare and gritted my teeth. My hands clinched in anger, the nails digging into my palms and drawing blood without my notice. I slightly flinched; not with the pain of the fresh wound but because of the chilly wind that seemed to cut through me like a sharp knife. Feeling slightly useless and even more depressed than I usually felt, I relaxed and allowed the wind to sweep away the heat of my anger to wherever it wanted this time.

Slightly composed, I eyed the deserted basketball court again and regarded it with hatred full of glance.

That bastard was extremely lucky.

I turned around to get back to my classes when I stopped abruptly, coming face to face with the blond who called himself my 'best friend'.

Naruto regarded me with a curious yet calm look as he watched me with his deep azure eyes. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and I tried to keep my glare fixed at his direction. Slowly, his eyes left my face to travel down to my bleeding hands. I quickly pushed them in my pockets too, not wanting him to securitize me anymore. The action at once raised his eyebrows, a gesture he sometimes did when he noticed something uncharacteristic, and than sighed loudly… breaking the building silence between us.

Another blow of wind and some scattered leaves made my glare to minimize and I was about to walk past him to get to my next class when he, as though nothing had happened, grabbed my upper arm.

"Let's go to Mc Donald. I am starving," he said, giving me a slight nudge down the stairs. I didn't budge.

Irritated, he gave me a sharp look.

"Sasuke teme…"

"You can pig out at lunch, you know," I muttered in a low tone and wished I hadn't after that.

Shock came over the blond boy as he, gapingly, stared at him as though he had sprouted another head. His eyes were as wide as saucepans and he blinked several times at me.

"Did you… Did you just _talk?_" he asked disbelievingly.

Feeling as though I couldn't play the 'ignoring' game anymore, I gave him a bored look.

"Did you think I was mute? Dobe," I scoffed and started walking down the stairs. Suddenly I didn't feel like going into the class and sitting in the middle of random girls; the very idea of it all made me feel suffocated. After all… the girl I wanted to sit beside me always kept her distance far away from me… unable for me to even reach out towards her.

I was well out of the school gates when I turned around to see Naruto still rooted at the door, staring at me. I give him in an irritated look which made him snap out of his trance and jump down the stairs to run up to me.

I shook my head and started walking again.

I seriously needed to talk to someone about a _certain someone._

* * *

**Err... well yeah... i know this is pretty late even when i promised quick updates. It's because of computer trouble. Laptops gone and my desktop also got busted. The only working thing in the whole mess was my brother's mac book and as it is a MAC book, he doesn't let me use it. :/. Blagh. Stupid brothers. **

**And it took longer because I shifted to another house and the mess just got piling up. My exams are next week but I knew I had to put something in for you guys. **

**Thanks for those who have been waiting patiently and still reading this story. I AM going to explain the Neji and Hinata incident and ALSO the Sakura incident. I haven't forgotten it so rest assure. :3**

**And thanks everybody! I hope you like this chapter (even though it doesn't tell much! :p). Look forward to the next chapter next week! ^^  
**


	22. Figuring out

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**

* * *

  
**

**Chapter twenty two**

**Figuring out**

_**In this crowded place  
I feel empty without your presence  
But girl  
Please rest assure  
I will never leave you anymore**_

So apparently talking to Naruto about my problems wasn't the greatest of ideas. I had no idea how to start and how to end and worst of all, he wasn't serious at all.

As usual.

He had bought around five meals for himself and was galloping everything down so quickly and messily that I couldn't even look at him, let alone _talk _to him.

I sighed out loudly as I picked up my coke and sipped it slowly, trying to digest my disgust as he burped loudly.

"Man… I love fast food!" he said heartily, pushing a few fries dripping with ketchup in his mouth. I tried not to sneer.

I waited patiently for him to stop eating and when after, surprisingly, fifteen minutes when he had finished and was about to go and get his dessert, I decided to start the conversation once and for all.

"Naruto," my voice sounded more strained than I thought.

He stopped mid-way from getting up from his seat, gave me a puzzled look before slumping down on it again. He gave me a questioning look.

"Do you know where the basketball team is?" I asked the basic of the question that I needed an answer to. Fortunately, he knew all about it.

"Oh you didn't hear? They went to the next city for the first round of state championships. Damn… I wanted to be on the team too but they said I wasn't good enough. I am telling you Sasuke… they are a bunch of jealous buffoons and they didn't put me on the team only because I was _way _too damn good for them… And that Neji bastard. He pisses me off,"

I, who immediately tried to zone out as he went totally off topic, was snapped back to the reality as I heard _his _name.

"Why?"

Naruto looked oblivious of the interest that accidentally escaped my voice and I, quickly, swallowed it back, pulling on my emotionless mask.

"He is Hyuuga for God's sakes. That's why. All of them are so pompous and so full of themselves. They think that they are the rulers of the world!" he wailed.

I frowned at that. Naruto was talking bull. Not _all _Hyuugas were like that… Hinata… she wasn't like that at all.

I gritted my teeth in sudden bitterness.

"_And because of her differences, she has suffered so much…" _ An inner voice whispered venomously inside me and I immediately pushed it away.

"Though…" Naruto paused as he looked at me with his big azure eyes, "that Hinato chick seems weird, right?"

I didn't know what offended me more; Naruto calling her with a wrong name and adding 'chick' with it as though she was just another teenage girl who hanged around me or it was the fact that he had called her weird.

"Her name is Hinata," I corrected him in an indifferent voice.

He raised his eyebrows at me, scrutinizing me with his bright gaze, searching for something else that he wanted to see.

"And... er… what is your relationship with her?"

Nice question dobe.

"She is a friend,"

His eyebrows even went even higher.

"Really?"

"Yeah,"

"I don't believe you,"

"Don't than,"

"I think that you are hiding something from me,"

I was a little surprised at that. Of course I was hiding something from him… not some_thing… _a LOT. Though I have always been famous for my blank looks and facades; nobody had been able to look through them before. Even though I wanted to confide in Naruto and actually wanted a second opinion for the current problems I had in front of me, I never thought that he was such a good mind reader.

I frowned at him and decided to come right to the point.

"Fine. I need some advice,"

Naruto's curious expression shattered into a bewildered one as his eyes opened wide, showing his clear disbelief.

"Wh-What? I think I misheard you,"

I scowled at him dangerously and he shrunk visibly in his chair as he felt my icy well practiced glare towards him.

"I said I need some advice," I hissed like a snake.

He shrunk even lower.

"Oh… oh ok," he muttered and cleared his throat, trying to gather his cowardly self up, "What's the problem?"

"It's Hinata,"

I looked away from his curious gaze again and looked around the surprisingly empty fast food restaurant. Usually a place like Mc Donald was buzzing with people of all shapes and sizes but today… it was almost empty. Maybe it was the fact that it was so early; most of the people were either in schools or in offices. Nobody was stupid enough to _skip _school for Mc Donald.

I was not complaining. I was actually grateful for that. The last thing I wanted was little kids screaming around and parents scolding them haughtily.

I grimaced at the sudden image of it all and looked back at him.

"What about her?" he asked.

"Apparently, she is in a hard situation and I want to help her out,"

Another wave of surprise came over him and he stared at me as though I had grown another head. A part of me wanted to smack him for acting so dumb.

"Oh… wow," he muttered before heaving a huge breath, "like what?"

I hesitated at that; I knew that I had to give some information to actually get some advice or a second opinion but suddenly spilling the beans of somebody else's horrible life didn't sound pleasing at all. I knew, from personal experience, that I wouldn't want somebody going around and telling secret things about me… and Hinata seemed to be that kind of a person who would always keep in the hurt if she was, intentionally or not, hurt.

Seeing my obvious hesitation, Naruto at once waved his hands in front of himself as though trying to clear a point.

"You can trust me… I won't tell anyone. Promise,"

And, with that said, he offered his pinky for me to shake.

I glared at it and looked at him sharply.

"What are you? A kid!?" I snapped and he quickly withdrew his hand as though it had been stung.

"Ok. Sorry. Dude…the hell? So are you going to tell me or not?" he said in an exasperated voice, turning to see the empty counter behind him. He fidgeted impatiently in his seat.

I sighed out loud, trying to calm down my sudden irritation and spoke.

"Apparently, Hinata's father abuses her,"

Naruto choked over his saliva and bolted up straight, coughing violently and trying to ease himself. Suddenly taking a huge breath, he said in a hoarse voice.

"Seriously!?"

I sighed out loud, pushing my coke in front of him which he grabbed thankfully and drained it down in a matter of seconds.

Panting, he slammed the cup down on the littered table and looked at me seriously, understanding now the extent of the problem.

"Sexually?" he whispered in a low voice.

That thought never occurred to me. Sudden hatred started to boil inside of me for the man who had greeted me so kindly when I had dropped her off that evening when she had, so powerlessly, broken down and fainted. Imagining him touching and hurting her made me want to go over to her house and _shoot_ him.

Yes. Shoot him. I had a few guns lying around at my place… why not?

My anger and hatred for the man and the situation quickly washed away when a sudden hopelessness took its place. I rested my head on the edge of the table, trying to swallow the wage of emotions down that I, in public too, suddenly felt. It was after such a long time that I was actually experience to _feel _and that too in such huge waves, that suddenly I felt that I was away from the world and it's problems for too long. The hopelessness that I suddenly felt was not because of the fact that I had locked myself in the darkness and had been spiritually dead, but because of the fact that he knew somebody, he knew and loved, was in need so saving.

What if I am not able to save her? Like I wasn't able to save anyone at that time either…

I closed my eyes.

"I don't know," I muttered, trying to zone out the happy song playing in the background.

"Don't worry Sasuke," Naruto said in a brave voice, "we can always drag her out of there,"

"She doesn't want that,"

"I know her. She wouldn't want that,"

"Than what does _she _want?"

That question stung bad.

"I don't know," I muttered hopelessly.

Naruto sighed in sudden irritation.

"Why not?"

"She doesn't tell me such things,"

"I bet you never ask her,"

I looked at him sharply, sitting up.

"I do. She makes up excuses,"

We both stared at each other in silence for a good ten minutes.

"And that's not all," I said.

"What else?"

"That Neji… her cousin… he is an ass,"

Naruto gave a dry laugh.

"Tell me something I don't know,"

"He tried to rape her, Naruto,"

He stood up so quickly that the seat fell back with a huge bang.

"SERIOUSLY!?" he yelled and the few customers stared at him in sudden interest, trying to see what the huge commotion was about.

I rolled my eyes at his sudden dramatics and got up, grabbed my stuff and dragged him out of the restaurant. Standing on the sidewalk, I continued.

"He actually threatened her about something,"

"Which you don't know," Naruto said, rolling his eyes.

"It's a family thing, she said," I tried to defend myself as we started walking down the street towards school.

"He didn't do it right?" Naruto asked after a pause.

"No. Thank God for that,"

I, absent-mindedly, looked up at the sky, trying to look at Him with a meaningful gaze.

"Now what?" Naruto muttered.

"I want to beat the crap out of that Neji if that the last thing I want to do,"

"Count me in,"

"Also I want to convince her to come live with me,"

Naruto stopped abruptly in his tracks. He looked at me in disbelief.

"Pervert," he sneered.

"No," I said firmly, motioning him to keep walking, the school was already over and I wanted to get my stuff and get out to the church, "She will be safe with me there,"

"Of course she will… in your arms… in your bed… selfish aren't we?" he grinned at me as though it was a joke. Though, with a few words he had said, they helped to build a rather warming picture in my head which I, at once, erased. I would never take advantage of Hyuuga Hinata.

"Shut up," I snapped at him and he laughed. I scowled and looked away, not wanting to deal with such nonsense. I saw the school gate approaching and I hurried my pace.

"Jokes apart, I think that is the only option that _is _left if you want to help her out," Naruto said after a long pause as I stuffed my books in my school locker and pulled out my homework assignments.

"But…"

I stopped what I was doing and looked at him, waiting for him to go on. In a serious voice that I hadn't heard before, he said:

"But do ask her what she wants… you don't want to make her unhappy now, do you?"

He slyly smirked at me and pushed himself from the lockers to which he was leaning against before. I smirked at him and closed my eyes.

"Aahh… don't worry about it,"

"_Hinata…I am coming…"_

* * *

**I hate this chapter. Hate it. So. Much.**

**That's why I had it written for so long and didn't post it! T.T Sasuke doesn't sound like Sasuke and the humour looks forced. :/. Sighs. No fair. :/. **

**Ok. My exams are finishing this wednesday, so you guys can expect quicker updates. ^^ also... thank you ALL of you for SUCH wonderful reviews. I wanted to assure you that i read each one of them and treasure your opinions. I reply to them too but because of exams this time, I wasn't able to do so... but hopefully I will next time. ^^**

**Read and Review. I love you guys. :p**

**OOoohh... 2500 words. :p. Your guys lucky day. xD  
**


	23. Stab Stab Stab

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**PART THREE**

**Chapter twenty three  
****Stab Stab Stab**

**_I am stabbing myself  
whatsoever  
with a blunt knife  
however  
the blood doesn't flow  
because  
it is sick of its own source_**

I felt as though I have gone blind. I was seeing things alright but everything seemed so… colourless. Bland. My eyes were dry and I felt them squinting now and than, trying to take in most of the black and white dull objects around me. It took me a good ten seconds to distinguish one measly object and when I tore my eyes from it afterwards, I would immediately forget about it.

Through the faraway window, I could see the sky but I wasn't able to marvel it's beauty anymore. I knew that the sky was a beautiful shade of blue and I knew how deep and thought provoking it was, but right now, for the first time in my life, it felt bland and empty; colourless with wisps of smoke which were supposed to be clouds. I felt as though the whole world has lost its colour.

I rested my head on the desk, feeling bile rise up to my throat now and than. I felt sick. I felt guilty. I felt as though I was to blame.

In the end, after trying so hard to hide everything from _him, _I had just simply spilled everything out and again cried in front of _him. _The way he had acted made me cry even harder.

He had pushed me away so quickly as though I was a disease and just stood up, leaving me crying without a literal support on the ground. He offered me his hand and had flinched so visibly when I touched it that I withdrew it immediately.

I closed my eyes, trying to control the sickness I felt inside. I didn't even know if Sasuke was a good friend of mine or not anymore. Maybe he had gotten so sick of the fact that Neji had tried to touch me in the wrong way that he was absolutely disgusted with me.

Nobody wanted a tainted woman. I sighed out loudly.

I knew it; I shouldn't have told him about the abuse. I whined it out and I lost him.

"Had a bad day, Hee-chan?"

I cringed visibly at the familiar voice and turned my head a fraction to see the wild looking guy who met my gaze as though I was a meal to devour.

"K-Konbawa K-Kiba-san," I stuttered out, sitting up in my seat and trying to act a little human.

"Oh…" he cocked his head at me and than grinned sheepishly, "I am surprised you remember my name,"

_"Apparently you do know mine but still pretend that you don't,"_

I tried to smile, failed and looked away from him, wishing he would just disappear. Being not in school for such a long time had made me skip detention but it didn't change the fact that I still had to go.

Slightly aware of my surroundings than I was before, I could feel the stare of the red haired, eye-liner, kanji-engraved on the forehead, emo guy and suddenly I could feel my hair standing up on their ends.

I, uncomfortably, glanced at the clock on the wall and saw that still a good half an hour was left for detention to be over. I bit my bottom lip and looked at the desk, where the teacher was sleeping, in sudden alarm but it was to no avail.

I, suddenly fidgeting, sat there, wishing I had never interacted with Sasuke in the first place.

Yes. I shouldn't have. A lot of good it had did to me… because of him; I was in detention and surrounded by emo guys who stared at me as though I was a piece of meat. If it wasn't for Sasuke, I wouldn't have gotten that beating and Neji would have never been 'assigned' to me. If it wasn't for Sasuke, nobody would know who I was anymore and I would still have a chance to disappear off somewhere.

"So Hee-chan… are you a virgin?"

I almost choked over my saliva and strangled myself to death. Feeling disgusted and embarrassed, I looked at him.

"Ano… I-I don't think t-that's a-any o-of y-your b-b-business," I managed to stutter at him and my sudden sprout of courage suddenly disappeared as he leaned in towards me.

I backed away quickly, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Come on… tell me," he whispered and I could feel his breath on my face. My heart beat quickened and I was on the verge of tears.

"Ano… s-s-stop,"

I could hear people snickering around me as they watched Kiba torment me. I was terrified.

_"Sasuke… save me,"_

"Awww… you are so cute. Ne…" he winked at me, putting his hand on my thigh and I flinched uneasily, "I don't care whatever the answer,"

_"Oh God… please… I am scared…"_

He leaned in closer, his face inches away from mine when…

"Inzuka. That's enough,"

He froze visibly and my hand shot towards my chest as I heard the bark of order. Kiba scowled visibly and turned his head towards the end of the row of the classroom, towards the emo red head who had been staring at me since I had entered.

"Bite me, Sabaku!" he sneered and I could feel the sudden tension building up in the stuffy classroom and the sick silence, that suddenly bestowed upon us, was only interrupted by the low snores of the teacher.

As though trying to piss the red head off, Kiba grabbed, to my utmost horror, the hoodie of my jacket, making me squeak loudly… though not loud enough for the teacher to wake up.

"What are you gonna do, Sabaku?" he sneered again and I averted my eyes from his anger filled face towards the red head who had an oh-so-familiar blank expression on his face. He was sitting back in his chair, his arms crossed in front of me as if he had no care in the world.

Was he really the one that yelled to stop? It didn't look like it. He looked at me suddenly and I felt my heart stop.

_His eyes…_

I was petrified as he held my gaze and I felt like he was able to see me inside and out. Suddenly, the whole classroom faded… all sensation faded and I could only sense and see him. I knew I was turning pale and not breathing. I was shivering.

_His eyes…_

He got up slowly, tearing his gaze from me and I felt I was finally free to use my body according to my will. I breathed in and tried to calm myself down… I was already covered in sweat.

Kiba pushed me back, letting go of my jacket in the process and I fell back against the other chairs with a bang that sent a jolt of pain through my body. When the pain subsided and I was able to concentrate on the scene in front of me, I realized the intensity of the mess I have gotten myself into.

Kiba got up from his seat next to me and marched towards the approaching red head, pulling back his arm in the process. As he reached up to him, he, with all his force, mustered a powerful punch at the red-head's face.

I gasped and some clapped and hooted as the red-head's face was punched sideways, blood splattering from his mouth in the process.

Terrified and scared, I looked alarmingly around, trying to figure out a way to stop it. The students seemed not to care about anything except for their own mutual selfish reasons.

I shook in fear and looked at the teacher, having a strong urge to wake him up. I was about to get from my seat when the red-head growled at me.

"You… Hyuuga…"

I jumped at the control of anger in his voice as he hazily looked at me. Our eyes met again and I felt my body freeze again like it did before.

_His eyes…_

"Get… out…" he seethed out, angrily, blood dripping from his mouth.

"Oye! I don't think so you are in a po-" Kiba was cut off with a hard push by the red-head and as he pulled his own arm to punch him, I felt totally out of place.

"Out," he snapped again and I came back from my daze, got up, whimpered and ran out of the door.

As I exited the detention room, I could hear a loud yell, a few thuds, hooting and a yell of the finally awakened teacher… but I ran, not wanting to look back.

Not wanting to look at his eyes.

I stopped running when I was a good mile away from the school and only a few paces away from the church. Shaken and still terrified, I fell on my knees and tried to gather my badly shaken self up.

Tears suddenly sprouted from my eyes as total fear took over and the realization of the glint in his eyes came over me.

His eyes… screamed for nothing but blood…

_"Oh God… Oh Sasuke… Oh Oka-san…" _I sobbed on the side-walk, feeling dazed and sick, slowly losing consciousness… _"Please… somebody… help me…"_

_

* * *

_

**Writing Hinata is so much of a less pain than writing Sasuke. Maybe because I can relate to Hinata more than Sasuke? Naaa... I am a good mixture of Sasuke and Hinata altogehter... :p. And as Sasuke is a leo... xD I understand his attitude. :p in Naruto of course. :p. Cause leos always do the opposite of what people tell them to. :p lol. So when you say update quickly, I always update late. :p**

**that doesn't mean you guys stop reviwing. xD. My apologies AGAIN for the late update. Exams, stressed out, comeptitions, parent pressure, life sucks etc. etc. etc. :p**

**lol.**

**This chapter is dedicated to **

**kitsunekitsune-bi: Thanks for being honest. xD. I apperciate it! ^^ and thanks for reviewing and liking. :D**

**jadedsiren: HEY! :p. lol. I don't know how to tell you how awesome you are for analyzing my story so much! Your reviews are VERY encouraging and they make me go O.O and than :D. Thank YOU soo much for taking your time reviewing and reading this story. :p. And hey! I used to like NaruHina too. :p. thank GOD those days are over. xD. *gets smashed my tomatoes* gomen! :p**

**otakugirl96: i loved the rant. :p. Seriously. xD I am sick of Hinata's attitude too! AND everybody being mean to her! it's NOT FAAAIIRRR!!! I MEAN... wait... oh... i forgot I was the author. :p.**

**Also thanks to: Uffiee, reviewer and darkredcrystal. ^^**


	24. Protection

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**------**

**Chapter twenty four**

**Protection**

_God gave me strong arms_

_So I can fight for you_

_God gave me a soft heart_

_So I can cry for you._

Even in the darkness, I could feel those eyes. Even in my unconsciousness, I could feel the fear in my heart. Even in this dazed state, I felt how insignificant and weak I was.

I closed my hand around what seemed to be a cool sheet of fabric. As I started to wake up and my senses started to come back to me, I felt that my head was resting on something extremely soft.

Opening my eyes slowly and expecting the harsh light of either nature or technology to hit me, I was shocked to find myself in an unknown dim-lighted bedroom. My eyes adjusted easily and the threat of a headache vanished quickly. I was grateful for the intelligence and generosity of the person who had closed all the curtains and the lights.

Though… speaking of the person…

A sudden realization came over me and I looked down at myself quickly and I was glad to see that I still had my clothes on. Sighing out lightly in relief, I sat up, my feet dangling, at the corner of the bed.

I got kidnapped and locked? There had been quite a few cases like this in the past, each one of the kidnappers thinking that I, the heiress, was daddy's little princess and they could get a handsome ransom. Little did they know was the fact that her father hated her and only sent the money because he didn't want to be on the headlines of the 9 o'clock news with her dead body to show off his sorrowful acting.

I was at fault again; fainting like that in the middle of the walkway, inviting who knows how many strangers to me. One of them had than just snooped me up and carried me off to hell knows-

The door creaked open and I jerked my head straight, breaking away from my chain of thoughts. Saying a silent prayer, I waited dreadfully as the figure in front of me appeared casually.

He stopped at once when he saw me awake.

I held my breath.

"S-Sasuke-s-san?"

He froze even more as his name escaped my lips and I could feel the sudden tension grew between us. Thousands of questions were sprouting in my head and he just stood there, looking stoic.

"You are awake," he said as though it wasn't supposed to be. Is it possible for Sasuke to kidnap me? For money? Why would he do that?

"Wh-why-" I began but the sentence was lost immediately. I couldn't even form the proper words to ask something. I didn't want to confirm my thoughts. I didn't want to see that the only person that I liked will do something like that to me.

"Don't get the wrong idea," he quickly began, walking towards me. He stopped in front of me and looked down at me with a soft expression that made me blush, "I saw you outside the church. You fainted,"

Even though I knew all of that, the voice he spoke in and the way he looked at me, made me believe that he meant no harm. The previous thoughts of evil vanished from my head immediately and I felt ashamed to even think so negatively about him. Despite my expectations and our differences, he really was the only person I was friends with and I didn't want to be alone again.

I gave a brief nod and he sighed out loud as though a burden had been released from his shoulders. He sat next to me on the bed, bringing another question to my head.

"Ano… where am I?" I asked shyly and looked around. The room was humungous, decorated with what seemed with furniture and curtains that cost more than a billion dollars. Even the rugs had a weird beautiful shine to them. The side tables were made up of expensive wood and carved with care. The bed was huge itself, yet, it only filled a quarter of the room.

An expensive hotel room?

"Oh. This is my room. You are at my place," he said with a hint of nervousness and I blushed brightly at the very thought of myself being in his room. I wanted to jump up on my feet and run away but I knew better than that. I knew that he meant no harm. I knew that it was only be thinking over my head.

"Ano…ne… you could have dr-dropped me a-at my house," I whispered. It made sense. If he had dropped me at home, it would have been the right way. Now I was at Sasuke's house… in his bedroom… and even though they were only… _friends_, there was a nagging feeling that father would know of this immediately and would even mark me as a slut. I would be in even more trouble than I already was. I really would be a disgrace to the family.

"About that, I want to talk to you," his voice was so serious that it didn't only bought me back to reality in a jitter but it also made my heart stop. I looked at him square in the eye, waiting for whatever he had to say.

"Can you answer a question for me?" he asked.

I remained silent but I knew my eyes were doing all the talking. I felt myself give a small nod.

"If there is someone who wants to protect you… someone who wants you to be happy… would you allow that person to help you out?"

The question took me off guard. I never expected something like that. That question seemed right from a fairytale. Why would anyone want to protect _me _and see _me _happy?

It was than a thought crossed my mind; of course that question didn't have any evidence that it was really _me, Hyuuga Hinata. _From that question, Sasuke might just be playing with words so that it wouldn't be obvious who he really was talking about. Maybe he just wanted random advice?

If that was the case, I would be extremely honest. Eye to eye, I answered him without a stutter.

"Yes. Because she is extremely lucky to have someone to protect her in the first place,"

The dim-lighted room seemed to change colours or maybe it was my imagination. The world wasn't bleak anymore and the fairytale question made him give one of his most expensive and heart-warming expressions of all. A small smile came over his perfect lips and tears of relief came in his eyes but not much to spill. His face was red and I had never seen _anyone _so happy.

Especially him.

Dazzled at his expression, I was taken aback as he closed the gap between us, pushing me back on the mattress in a tight hug. He wrapped his strong arms around my body and buried his face at the nape of my neck. I could feel his breath against my skin and his legs around mine.

Still with shock and surprise, I would have believed that I never woke up in the first place… but his words next made me realize how glad I was to be alive.

"Than please let me protect you,"

* * *

**So late! :O. **

**yatta! Gomen minna! I left you all at a delicate spot. Sighs. Its just really hard to write these days with my parents breathing down my neck. *Cries*. They are like not to write, not to edit, not to do anything except study. **

**So i am really in a pinch right now... until i guess summer vacations. :/. **

**I apologize. I promised to update daily when i started this story now i am so freaking bummed because i haven't been keeping my promise. I am really sorry all. I will try really hard to come to your expectations next time.**


	25. Alibi

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter twenty five**

**Alibi **

**

* * *

**

_I am not lying_

_Because it's wrong to do so_

_So please understand _

_That beneath this demeanor _

_Really lives a caring heart_

_

* * *

_

His embrace was just perfect; warm and soft, full of feelings and gentleness that seemed to seep into my soul and my body. If I had the choice, I would have stayed like that forever; warm in his gentle embrace.

But the reality hit me hard and, sadly, too early for me to fully enjoy the moment. Even though I pushed him gently away and he flinched at my sudden resistance, he didn't let go of me, openly choosing ignorance over my meaningful gestures. Maybe, deep down, he too knew that such an offer was impossible for me to accept.

So I, too, played ignorant and asked questions that I knew I had to in order to open up his eyes and close my eager heart.

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"I want you to stay with me from now on,"

His answer was so in the clouds. As though clinging to me and saying such sweet words would make me stay with him. It was like he was the child and wanted his way even though I knew that he had probably experienced horrible things to be not one. It was like a whine of a child in need. A thought of a child who assumed that his wish will always be granted because he loved his mother and vice versa too much.

But for me, life wasn't like that. For me, love and protection were things of fantasy and wishes to be daydreamed of. For me, reality was much more real. For me, the responsibility of family was so much more than a wish of a boy who wanted to protect me.

"I-I can't,"

_I am sorry Sasuke._

His body went stiff and he looked at me with the saddest expression that I have ever seen on his face. My heart fluttered and I wanted to cry out but right now, I was not in the position to do so.

"Why? Didn't you say that you would be happy if I protected you?"

I felt a lump in my throat.

_But that was because I thought it was someone else and not me. Someone like Sakura. Someone you love._

"Th-that was different,"

"No it's not! It's simple. I want to protect you and in order to do so; you don't go back to your house!"

He seemed pissed off. Angry. Venomous.

"I c-can't run away Sasuke!"

He was probably taken aback at the power of what I had said coupled up with his name and he remained silent suddenly as though waiting for me to say more… to startle him more… to break his childish thinking.

"I appreciate what you are trying to do, but… but I can't accept it. Even though my father abuses me an-and hits me… he is still my father!"

He frowned deeply, anger radiating from him in such waves that I felt scared of being beneath him. He was staring at me down when he perched himself on top of me, putting me in such a weak position to stand up to myself and yet I knew, my head was right and my heart needed to be silent.

"What kind of reasoning is that! That man doesn't love you! He hits you and abuses you! And you rather be with him than with me?"

"Please don't compare yourself with him! He is my father!"

"Than what am I to you?"

_Why Sasuke… are you trying to make this so difficult for me?_

I was looking at me with hurtful tearful eyes and yet, he still held me back, wanting to know an answer to such a question. A question that I wasn't able to answer in such a moment. Such a complicated question.

"Answer me!" He pressed me, wanting to know.

"Y-you are the same to me that I am to you,"

_What do you consider me as Sasuke? A friend? A savior? Or really nothing. We just met at a church and we hardly talk in school. Really… who are we to each other?_

"What kind of an answer is that you moron," he growled under his breath and I stared as he impatiently grinded his teeth in frustration. A feeling of uneasy enveloped me.

For a minute, I was scared to hear what he was going to say next. What he was going to reveal from his heart. It truly was fright. I didn't want to hear it. Not in this situation.

Not like this.

"Sasuke,"

My voice was stable and I was determined to silence him by changing the topic. Even though it meant trouble for me.

"I am sorry. I can't stay,"

His bangs hid half of his face and all I could see was the grind of his teeth. His pale face was twisted into an expression of fury and irritation. As though things weren't going the way he wanted.

If the situation was different, I would have enjoyed knowing more about him and seeing his different expressions. Yet… his silence was eating me alive now and my chest was screaming in pain.

"I have a family. I-I need to be there. E-Even though they d-don't treat me r-right… i-it's ok. It's ok," I whispered, my voice failing me, "It's ok,"

It was like I was reassuring myself more than solving the situation. Like those words were giving me strength to face the darkness of a home rather than giving strength to Sasuke whose face looked more and more painful every passing second.

"It's ok Sasuke… I will be fine. S-So please don't worry about me any longer,"

He snapped.

It was the first time I had seen him like that. His head jerked straight and his bangs fell back. His eyes were hard and cold but boiling with such anger that a red tint came up into his black orbs. His hands, which were gently grasping mine a few moments ago, tightened roughly, his nails digging into my skin without a second though and pain shot through my body, making me close my eyes shut and gasp a little. Tears threatened to come but I tried to fight them back.

I thought that this might have been punishment but what came next truly broke me inside out.

"I hate you. I fucking hate you,"

The words were not loud but they were not gentle either. They cut through me like daggers cutting through water and I felt my body go stiff as my shoulders contracted as my scared broken eyes stared back at him. Inside me, there was a war going on and my heart seemed to be ripped apart.

"People like you… who don't care if other people are worrying about you… want to help you… put all their _fucking _efforts of _fucking _care… they make me _sick_,"

The way he said that, it really made me sick of myself too.

"I-,"

"You are a coward!"

_I know…_

"You are apathetic!"

_I know…_

"You are the WORST KIND OF HUMAN BEING EVER!"

**SLAP!**

Blurred eyes and the stinging feeling of pain as it contacted with his face made me feel like drowning me into a world of pain that I had become so accustomed to. The impact silenced and froze him stiff and my vision became even more blurred.

I had pushed him from above me and I was already at the door. I didn't even feel the supposed coldness of the door's knob on my hand as I touched to get out. It was even a surprise when a voice came out of my mouth as though nothing had happened before. The voice, for a minute, I couldn't understand.

"You are just like my father, Uchiha-san. Why would I be with you when you are not even my blood? We have no ties whatsoever,"

As I walked blindly towards my house, the wounds on my wrists and the clotted blood in the cuts glistened venomously under the stars.

For a moment, through my crying eyes, I saw a golden streak crease across the sky and I knew it at once that it was a shooting star… but I didn't eve bother to make a wish. What can a fantastical virtual wish can do when real humans and destiny was not able to?

Save me_… my ass._

* * *

**Definitely the ass. :p :p**

**yeah for complicated relationships and lover quarrels. :p. This story will now be updated more quickly and thus finished soon. Than i shall concentrate on my other stories. lol. :p  
**


	26. Kill my soul

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter twenty six**

**Kill my soul**

_For people who knows_

_For people who doesn't_

_Who are you?_

_When you stride among in the crowd_

_Why are you trying to be one of them?_

_When you are devil that strides in everything?_

_

* * *

_

The maid who greeted me had a stone face and the steeliest eyes. I always wondered where her heart was when she witnessed my father's cruelty against me with a stoned face, I wondered really…if she was human.

Yet, if humans were defined on the perspective of kindness and pity, than really… I lived in a house where there were no humans at all.

Ironic.

As I entered into the lobby, my hands limping behind so nobody could extinguish the dried up blood and the wet sleeves, to which I had continuously cleared my tears with, I was greeted not with my tittle-tattle of a sister neither with my red faced father… but by the maid.

She scrutinized me from top to bottom, her half Hyuuga grey eyes building holes in me as I stood there emotionally. Even the maid had more authority than me.

Glancing at the time for the tenth time, she cleared her throat and said in a polite manner:

"Good evening madam,"

I was used to such fake politeness.

"W-where i-is father?"

"Master and the young mistress left for Tokyo a couple of hours ago," Her voice was crisp as though stabbing me with such information. I had a sudden vision of Sasuke pinning me down, begging me to stay yet I had turned him down for a house where the father never told where he was disappearing to.

"Though… "She paused in a menacing manner, trying to build up anticipation in the silence of the house, "they will be returning tomorrow evening,"

Her steely eyes were fixed at me as though she was enjoying my sudden stiffen form.

"The _usual _meeting will be held tomorrow I guess," she sneered and turned away, "Good night Madam,"

Feeling worst that I did when I was on the streets, I stumbled to my room. All my sudden energy had suddenly disappeared and I felt weak on my knees. Opening my door to my room, I stumbled face first onto the wooden floor, allowing myself to feel the pain and for the sleep to conquer me.

Maybe tomorrow will make the day seem new and bright.

* * *

_The boy was crying. The contrast of his silent weeps against the light made her heart beat with the rhythm of his painful rocking. Her small fragile hand was clutching her mother's dull kimono tightly as she watched him cry. The decorative tombstones contrasted with the dull grey evening sky as though the colours weren't to represent mourning and death but a joy of another world._

"_Ne… Oka-san… w-why is th-that boy crying?"_

_In her little self, the girl looked like a doll. She looked up to her mother and saw her face in sudden wrenched up sorrow. Surprised, she stared at her mother, trying to comprehend the situation._

"_Oka-san?"_

_A jerk of the head and a reassuring smile broke on the woman's face but even he little child can tell it was fake._

"_Hinata… it's ok,"_

"_**Who are you reassuring?"**_

"_That boy lives in our neighborhood," _

"_**Why are you telling me this?"**_

"_Ne… Oka-san… Let's go over," _

"_**Why am I saying that?"**_

"_We cannot Hinata… we are not allowed to,"_

"_**Why are you being this way?"**_

"_Why not?"_

"_**But he is crying,"**_

"_Let's go,"_

_The boy was still crying, a black shadow against the setting bleeding sun. Her mother pulled me away towards somewhere beyond, binding the truth away from her. _

_Two months later, she was standing at the same place as the boy, crying her eyes out. She wondered who silently watched her and, like her, walked away. Blurred eyes were making the orange sun bleed and the once admirable hues were streaks of insanity._

* * *

**Sorry for such a late update. Life's been hectic. *stressful sighs* but no worries. quicker updates hopefully from now on. Hope so anyway. Maybe more hectic things will turn up? You never know.**

**Thank you for all the alerts and the reviews. I love you guys so much! :D You are GREAT! ALL OF YOU! Thank you for the support! :).**

**Is it possible to reach the next hundred with this story? I wonder.  
**


	27. He and She

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter twenty seven**

**He and She**

_Whatever they say  
__However we differ  
__We have the mutual wants and desires  
__And thus we both are  
__Humans_

The dream felt more like a remembrance of the past. Thus it was all so blurred and unreal that I couldn't figure out if it was of importance or not. My head was in pain because of it and my night had been mostly sleepless, with me tossing and turning around through out. The fear of the future and the regret of the past was making me numb and apathetic.

The sun was up and the morning shone with all it's might as I crawled out and changed. At least the torture would be after school. Maybe I could have a moment of peace at school and…

_Sasuke._

I stopped buttoning my shirt to stare at my wrists. I had hurt him and I was cruel. Nevertheless what his demands were and whatever he was saying… he hadn't obviously thought it through.

I had angered him. He had angered me. Everything just broke.

Knowing that skipping school would not only result in more trouble but also make the punishment quicker and harder… I quickly changed and went downstairs.

The maid was there but the counter was empty with no sign of breakfast which was expected as I was pretty much not considered a member of the family to be served independently. I ignored her sharp gaze and poured myself a glass of cold milk.

Neji was coming today too. Apparently his basketball season was over. It wouldn't be a surprise if he had won everything and was training to go the finals. The school van would be probably be bringing them back around lunch. All I needed was Neji now to be a part of this amazing mess.

* * *

Sasuke was there which was surprisingly a shock to me. A hidden part of me had assumed that he would be gloomy and regretful like he was before. It was actually kind of scary in a way as I, with my head down, made my way to the back of the class, thought. It hadn't taken him long to move on neither was he regretting accusing me of how bad of a human being I-

Ok. Stop. You don't need to remember this. Stop. Thinking.

Yet as a reflex, my eyes wondered towards his back and his thoughtful expression as he stared out of the window. I wondered if he had actually noticed me come in or had even glanced at me. Feeling suddenly resentful of the whole ordeal, I was determined to spend the rest of my day staring at the desk and nothing else.

* * *

The plan failed miserably. The desk was sure a boring thing to stare at and the feeling of him actually caring or not, kept bugging me and making me glance at him again and again. Yet it felt like he was even more cheerful and healthy compared to other days. He had even given a small smile at Sakura who was sitting next to him, talking away about makeup. He even listened to Naruto babbling about how ramen should have a peanut butter flavour (or something around that) attentively.

Yes. It felt like yesterday didn't happen at all.

The desk sure was a boring place to stare at but I chose to anyway for I knew that being so self-conscious and sensitive will make the situation hard to let go. I guess maybe I should just forget about everything and treat it as a dream.

The dream.

It was a great distraction. Thinking about the vision like dream made me feel a little uneasy yet curious at the same time. Whenever mother appeared in any of my dreams, it was sure not to be a normal one.

Who was the crying boy? And why was he alone? Why none of the families approached to help?

Why did I dream about this?

"_Maybe I should visit the cemetery later…" _I wondered to myself, looking up automatically at him, writing down the lecture that the teacher was babbling about.

Damn. I don't even care anymore.

* * *

The basketball team failed to appear in lunch and I knew it was probably some technical problem. Except for that everything was pretty much uneventful as though my relationship with Sasuke, all past, present and (hopefully?) future had disappeared. Suddenly it felt like I was the same ghost of an invisible person and nobody cared at all.

I looked at Sasuke for the infinite time wishing that it might just be a mistake. Seriously. What was I expecting anyway? That he would come over to me and apologize? We were after all nothing. Just…friends.

Or lovers?

Na. Lovers don't say _"I hate you," _and be so inconsiderate and…

Ok. What happened to not thinking about this? Yes. .. yes… I will go to the roof for a breather and after that everything would be alright.

Most of my class usually ate lunch in classrooms except for those who had friends or boyfriends/girlfriends in other classes. Overall it was pretty crowded and I didn't feel like getting up and attracting all the attention as I walk out of the class.

Yeah that would be awkward. I wonder what Sasuke would think…

Wait. If everyone noticed… he would notice too right? And he would probably wonder where I was going and maybe… like… _maybe _he would follow me to the roof where he would take back what he said and we would be lovers… meaning friends again?

Or whatever relationship we had before.

Being totally euphoric and ignorant of the fact that how desperate my plan sounded, I stood up.

And at the same time, the door banged open and the basketball team flooded in, laughing hysterically.

You can probably guess what would have attracted more attention.

Apparently the team was going from class to class, showing off their really big golden trophy and throwing verbal abuses to people they didn't practically like. Neji wasn't there though but it was no surprise… he wasn't into such amateurish act of celebration. The team was there long enough for me to slip by unnoticed, finally realizing that it was for the better and really… my thinking was pretty desperate. Especially for a person who didn't care. God-

My train of thought was suddenly broken by as somebody roughly grabbed my shoulder and turned me around. If I didn't know any better, I would have screamed out loud and cried. But at the back of my mind, I was still hoping for Sasuke to confront me.

So as my head whipped around and my expecting eyes met the person who had so earnestly stopped me, I faced nothing but disappointment and well… actual shock.

For in front of me was not one person. But two.

Unfortunately, they were both taller then me and looked like as they wanted to _talk_.

* * *

**I am NOT dead people! D: D: just terribly busy. T_T my love for SasuHina is still alive but its being prisoned by constant study load, exams and real life drama.  
Sorry for not updating.  
I hope you like this chapter though. Its like... 7 am here and i am terribly tired but i was determined to post this up. x'D I really hope you like this.  
SOOOO... who do you THINK are those two people hohoho? x'D x'D I can't wait to get started on the next chapter. x'D  
btw. can anyone help me out with a summary for this story? the current one isn't very attracting. 0.0' please? x'D  
enjoy. REVIEW PLEASE! PLEEEAAASSSEE! D: x'D**


	28. Uncomfortable

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

**Uncomfortable**

_The opposite words_

_Are usually lies_

_But the feeling that brews_

_Afterwards_

_Tends to be the truth_

Have you ever heard your heart beat when you are super nervous? Really… If you hold your breath for a while _and_ the urge to rush to the bathroom, you will feel as though someone is impatiently knocking their fists hard on your chest. BAM BAM BAM. I know it's not biologically possible for the heart to sound like that but I could bet anything that's how my heart was beating when the two tall figures confronted me. After a black out…we all found ourselves on the roof, sharing lunches and sitting in utter silence.

Naruto and Sakura. Blond and Pink. Golden and Ruby. Bright and vibrant. Beautiful and gorgeous. I could just go on and on about how they looked sitting crossed legged on the cemented ground under the bright sun as the gentle wind played with their hair.

A funny feeling came over me as I put my chin on my knees and dazed at them across from me; they really looked good together.

_BAM BAM BAM._

Oh yes. Thinking about myself for a change; I had a bad feeling about this.

Sakura was examining the bread in front of her with calculating eyes and giving envious looks at Naruto who was stuffing his third loaf. They had offered me the bread too but yeah… you can probably guess how that worked out.

Sakura stashed the bread she was holding in front of Naruto, cleared her throat and stared directly at me. I stopped breathing.

"Hinata,"

I acknowledged her with a stare.

"You probably know what we want to talk about," she mused, looking at me with calculating eyes. As I was so impressively frozen, I, again, gave her a blank look.

"Wow. She is so like that teme," Naruto suddenly broke in, leaning towards me to give me a wide-eyed look as though he hadn't seen _something _like me before.

Sakura whipped her head angrily at him and elbowed him painfully at his side. He jumped a little and turned towards her.

"What? She IS! I have _never _heard a single word from her at all!"

"That doesn't mean that she is _like _Sasuke!"

"EH! Sasuke doesn't talk. She doesn't talk. THEY BOTH MATCH!"

"SASUKE IS MUTE! SHE IS NOT! I HAVE HEARD HER SPEAK BEFORE!"

"SASUKE IS NOT MUTE! We actually had a decent conversation just a few days back," he said proudly as though it was some sort of honour.

Sakura gaped at him.

"What? No way. No freaking way!"

"YES WAY!"

Sakura seemed to be frozen on the spot; her mouth half open as she disbelievingly stared at Naruto. Naruto, sensing something wrong, suddenly looked panicked. Her eyes begin to water. I also panicked. A little.

"H-he… talked? To y-you? W-why?"

Her broken voice suddenly took me off guard. My colourless eyes took in her suddenly deteriorating coloured form. She was always so bright and cheerful, so confident and beautiful… was it all a façade? Her once high head had lowered and her styled hair suddenly became dishevelled and fell on her face but even I could see her clenched mouth holding back loud threatening sobs as tears rolled down her face.

"Erm… Sakura-chan? Are you…okay?" Naruto suddenly seemed guilty and uncomfortable at the sudden change of events. But I knew better. He had probably unleashed some hidden wounds that Sakura was trying to hide. I felt a knot form in my throat.

"Did you know?" Sakura heavily breathed out, "that I have been with him since forever? Since… we-we were little kids?"

Silence. Naruto seemed to be frozen. I couldn't tell much about myself.

"A-and… we have been… b-b-best friends… u-until t-that accident?"

_Accident? _

A sudden flash of my dream came rushing towards me and my eyes widened and my back straightened, suddenly feeling a strange vibe come through my body.

"Accident?" Naruto muttered his confusion too but Sakura was too self-observed in herself to hear him.

"That fucking accident changed everything after that! Like I didn't even matter to him!"

Her voice had become harsher and angrier. I could feel emotion after emotion pile up on her already broken form as new shed tears rolled down her face.

"He changed but still… I was with him. I was always with him. I want to be always with him!"

"_Sasuke is my fiancée!"_

"_Stay away from him!"_

I felt my heart drop fast.

"Yet… yet… he wouldn't let me. You two…. Damn," she jerked her head straight to glare angrily at us as though it was our entire fault.

"You two came to his life just a few weeks before! How come he cares about _you two _more then he does for me! He… found a new best friend… He… found a new," her eyes stared daggers at me and what came next was nothing but a snarl, "_lover,"_

L-lover?

Lover?

As in… _lover_?

My heart stopped right then and there. I could feel an expression of shock and fright came over my face as my eyes glazed over. I knew that Sakura and I were staring at each other, one in hurt and one in utter fright and shock.

And then she moved. I really had a feeling that she was going to slap me across the face. I embraced for it but instead, brokenly, she put her hands on my shoulders and stared at me right in the eye.

"Why?"

_Why?_

"Tell me,"

_Why what?_

She shoved me against the wall and Naruto reached forward to rescue me from her clutches but he was shunned by a harsh glare from Sakura.

"Speak damn it,"

"I-"

"P-please,"

I gulped.

"I don't… think… I am the right person to ask that from,"

She froze. Her eyes widened and I probably knew how I looked like a few minutes before in the conversation. Wide eyed and shocked… as though realization had dawned upon us.

"S-sasuke and I… are not even friends,"

My eyes were becoming a little steely and my feelings were suddenly becoming a little numb.

"Th-then why is he acting like this today?"

"Yeah," Naruto suddenly but in worriedly, "he is all cheerful and well… conversing,"

"I-I… guess that shows proof that we are… n-nothing," I tried to smile but realized that it was probably not the right moment to. Though I was surprised to see doubtful looks on both of their faces. Sakura sighed loudly and let go of me, rubbing her tear-strained face from earlier. Suddenly, I felt a little more comfortable around the current environment. Sounding a little inhuman, but Sakura broken form had eased the tension out of me a little.

"I highly doubt that," Naruto said straight-forwardly.

"No way duh," Sakura muttered.

"Did something happen?"

Sakura stopped trying to clip her hair to look at me. I could feel their big bright eyes staring at me expectantly for a tale to tell and I felt rather exposed… as though they already knew half of the things already.

I never had a friend. The only companion I ever dared to share my thoughts and concerns with was my deceased mother…which was obviously a very long time ago. The next person was Sasuke. I had dared to tell him my darkest and deepest of secrets including the rape threat from Neji which even I wanted to forget.

How can they possibly expect me to tell them so easily? I wasn't Sakura who can just spill her heart in front of a total stranger like me. Neither was I Naruto who babbled nonsense non-stop to every audience.

No. I was Hyuuga Hinata. The girl who was abused and alone.

"Nothing. Nothing happened," I whispered in a low weak voice, my thoughts piling above me.

Their expressions again told me that they knew I was lying but I was surprised to see the element of hurt on both of their faces.

"Wait. You are telling me you can't tell me after I had broken in front of you? What are you? Heartless?" Sakura snapped at me whereas Naruto patted her on her back.

Feeling taken aback to what Sakura had said, I expected something more outrageous from Naruto but surprisingly he was gentler.

"I understand that you feel what happened is your personal burden but Hinata-chan… we are all friends here. And whatever you say about it, you probably care about Sasuke more then us two,"

I could feel the denying expression on Sakura's face but my heart thudded heavily against my chest.

That was right. I cared for Sasuke.

"You care for him. It doesn't matter what relationship you have with him. You care about what he thinks and what he says. You even slapped him when he was acting all gloomy-"

"Yeah about that I wanted to kno-"

Sakura was interrupted by Naruto again who slightly poked her at the side, much to her displeasure.

"… so don't think that you have got nothing to do with him. _You_ care about him. _We_ care about him. And he is damn lucky to have us worrying about him," he said the last part in a slow murmur.

"So… you are not alone in this, Hinata," surprisingly it was Sakura who said those words, smiling gently at me as though I was the child in pain.

Maybe I really was one.

As their words sink in, I buried my head in my knees and blushed brightly, not wanting to let them see my emotional face and my beating heart.

And at that moment… I decided to just let it all go.

**

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**yayayaya. Another Chappie. And this one is comparatively quicker then the last one. :'3 Sorry for my inactiveness. :( So busy with exams and life. T_T Also most of you guys said that they had to read the last few chapters in order to understand whats up. I am sorry for that. I have the next chapter written and read to post and i will do so tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. So from now on... slightly quicker updates.**

**I was also kinda saddened to see that i lost my readers and my reviewers. :c but i guess it can't be helped because i, myself, am a lazy bum. T_T**

**Thanks for the amazing reviews! :D They encouraged me to write more! :) and and and... thanks for participating in my guess games. x'D But it was naruto and sakura. x'D hohoho. xD**

**btw. those who are wondering; Gaara and Kiba doesn't really have much of a main role. At least not Kiba. I just wanted a bully and I can't just imagine Gaara being one. x'D **

**Anyhow. God do i babble. :P I hope you enjoyed this chappie. :D READ AND REVIEW! :D**


	29. Help

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter one**

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

**Help**

_Even a leaf  
on a tree  
Makes it all  
a full picture_

"My… my father is a very strict person. He lives his life with a series of morals. Ever since my mother died, I hadn't really been his… favourite daughter… I guess. There… there are times when he is er…"

Physically abuses me? No. They might take this to the police.

"erm… takes out his anger and frustrations on me…"

I could feel Sakura gasp at that and I hurriedly said "But… it's not that bad… really. Its just that… One day, I told Sasuke about it. He got very…upset. And then he was very inconsiderate,"

Silence.

It really was a funny thing as I thought to myself, hugging my knees with my face still tucked away from them, that such a complicated sad thing could be summarized in such short mere words that seemed to contain no pain.

I was amazing. Really… I should be in a-

"Wow Hinata. That is some vague description," Naruto muttered.

I snapped up to look at him, my heart bouncing. _What? What did he-_

"Sasuke told me everything because he didn't know what to do. He was worried sick about you and wanted advice on what to do next. He obviously wanted to protect you,"

"_Please let me protect you,"_

"Wait wait… hold on. I don't understand this at all," Sakura complained, "So her father yells at her a little and Sasuke gets all upset about that? What does-"

"Her father doesn't yell at her. He hits her. Bad physical abuse,"

I saw Sakura's eyes widened at that as she slowly turned to look at me in shock. Suddenly feeling in troubled, I automatically defended my father.

"H-he… its not that bad,"

"Of course he is Hinata! That's the problem that you are not getting! Your family wouldn't care if one day they will _kill _you! You get no medical attention, you get no care… and a little concern that Sasuke tried showing you… you probably rejected it because you _freaking think that you are not good enough for it!" _

I had never seen Naruto look so…evil before. Why didn't anyone understand? I couldn't accept Sasuke's offer. Even if he was trying to protect me… this was wrong. _This was wrong_.

"You are wrong!" I snapped at him and they both were surprised at my sudden outburst, "You don't understand! He is my father and it's my family! I cannot just _leave _them without a proper consent to…to_ live _with a guy!"

"Sasuke asked _you _to _live _with him!" Sakura yelped.

Ignoring her, Naruto glared at me with fury, "Then now what? What are you going to do? Are you going to go home and get another beating? Maybe that would cause some serious internal bleeding and you will… I don't know… die? Or would you just sit in the back of the classroom wishing that your father would suddenly become nice and treat you the way like he should?"

I stared at him with no comeback.

"Meaning you are just not going to do anything. Maybe Hinata… it's time for you to actually to do something. Maybe go to your father and say you had enough. Or go slap Neji or I don't know but _something. _You are just _standing _still… doing _nothing,"_

I stared at him, realizing the truth in his words and I felt that I was nothing but a fool. Yes… it has been so many years. I could have done _something. _I could have given my father _hell. _I _could _have-

"You-you're right," I muttered an agreement, "Yes… you are right,"

Naruto grinned in victory.

"You like Sasuke don't you?" Sakura asked after a pause and I looked at her hesitantly.

"Just say it,"

"I…yes. I do,"

Blushing furiously, I buried my face back into my knees, trying to push away my embarrassment of actually admitting it out loud. I never thought saying it loud would make my feelings to myself clearer and the question of relationship answered.

Sakura heaved a sigh.

"Well I am not handing him over to you unless you show it that you deserve him! Go and do something about your family! Ha. As if… Sasuke is my fiancée!"

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Oh please Sakura, you said it was a pinky promise that Sasuke refused to shake when you were three!"

Sakura gasped in horror.

"He _did _shake it!"

"Really now?"

"Well… his mom called him back! And he was about too and gah! Who cares it was a promise from my side more!"

The laughter of the duo and the casual conversation in front of me was something I had never experienced before and suddenly, I felt warmth envelop me. The colours around me didn't seem bland anymore and the sun really felt as though it was smiling down upon me, giving me strength of what to do next. The wind seemed to cool me down and I felt grateful to Him for sending people down to guide me to the right path.

Yes. It was really a time for me to do something.

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**Ok! so the Sakura-is-Saskuke-fiance issue has been resolved! WOOOO! x'D Glad something is. Nao... for other billions of problems. x'D **

**Thank you so much for everyone who reviewed my last chapter. That was very nice.x'D I even got a few new readers (hopefully they will stick around for sure). Oh well... i guess i will have to regain my readers again. But its ok. I think like I previously said... I enjoy writing. And i am glad that people support me nevertheless. :) **

**! I haven't started writing that yet. I shall! x'D**

**read and review ! :)  
**


	30. Standing Up

**Blossoming Burnt Petals**

**By Ayesha Raees**

**Chapter Thirty**  
**Standing Up**

_And sometimes, you need to  
come between colliding worlds  
Rather than runaway  
with tears your own  
Blame is your own_

* * *

It was an epiphany, nothing else nothing more. I didn't know what I was going to do, I didn't have anything planned but recently, I realized one thing; jumping in sometimes was better than planning out. Plans carefully constructed resulted in never working out and instant depression. Instant depression was something I did not want anymore.

There is always opportunity; we just have to embrace it in any of the chances it chooses to present itself best.

Opportunity came then. It was a yell and a sudden scream. Naruto and Sakura stopped talking, as though hearing it too. We both stared at each other in confusion. There was a yell and the floor was vibrating.

"A…fight?" Naruto muttered, heaving himself up from the ground, "I will go see,"

Sakura got up too, her eyes brimming with curiosity and a kind of excitement, "I will come too," she stopped and looked down at me, "Come,"

She stretched her hand out and I stared at it, touched to the core. Sniffing in my over-powering emotions, I took it and she, powerfully, heaved me to my feat. I stood there feeling giddy in sudden happiness, in sudden feel of being in acquaintance. I felt my smile a little but it was overlooked by the both of them. Thankfully.

The yells grew louder as we went downstairs and in the corridor, there was a riot of teenagers running and exclaiming. In the rush, I stood still, like a deer with big eyes, as Naruto and Sakura broke into a run.

It came flashing but as a blur. A heart-attack but still alive. My breath came out in heavy pants and I stood frozen and still.

"He just attacked him!"

"The Hyuuga had it coming! That pompous brat!"

"I never thought Uchiha was this savage"

The voices. The dialogues. The constant exclamations. My eyes widened in shock.

"_Do something. You have to do something"_

"_What do you want?"_

"_Do something!"_

I broke into a run. The crowd around the two fighting guys parted naturally as though God parted a pair of red-curtains especially for me. There was a lot of light. There was a lot of life. I just ran forward.

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**Erm. Hello guys. *small scared face* I... had stopped writing. Honestly. I was just too busy. But today, at 4:00 AM, I wanted to write something so badly. So badly. And i decided to write this. I decided to stand up and continue doing things that makes me happy and take a break from the real world. I decided to write this fanfiction.**

**I have grown up. It has been a very long time. My writing style has changed. Maybe, better. Either way... I hope this was enjoyable for you. :) More updates, yes, soon.  
**


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